A New Quest is Born
by Lord OF Illusion
Summary: For the past few years Fuu has spent a dormant life working for a mystic healer in the lowlands of a great mountain range. Despite her accomplishments her heart begs for adventure, and one stormy night her wish is granted! continuation of the series
1. A Valiant Vagabond

**A VALIANT VAGABON **

**This story picks up around five years after the group went their separate ways and moved on to lead new lives apart from each other. We begin with Fuu, and once again she is working around the clock to roll in some dough. Someone unexpected decides to emerge from the shadows. **

Twilight had arrived; the sun was retiring from another prolific day of lighting the paths for millions of travelers that walked amongst the gracious and vicious earth. Spring was alive and many things flourished and thrived with life. Flowers were forming into exotic and exquisite plants. Movement had returned to the quiescent rivers, winter was gone and so was all the icy snow. Life itself seemed to have been reborn within the whole environment. Not just the plants, but also the animals had returned to their animated lives as they steadily withdrew from hibernation and embarked on another season of forging and fighting. One of the most amazing products of the spring renaissance was the cherry blossom. There was a large lake shimmering and gleaming with the brilliant light from the setting sun. It gave the lake a beautiful shade of orange assorted with a pale yellow hue. Beside it grew an enormous weeping sakura. The tree's trunk was thick and broad like that of a rigid fortress's keep. Running into and through out the deep soil, its root system seemed almost infinite. In many ways the network of the trees sturdy roots almost resembled the intricate and demanding streets of an industrious metropolis. Large roots and diminutive roots curled, spiraled, entrenched themselves, and worked together to anchor the valiant flora. In the chilling evening breeze the branches waved placidly. Where the many branches ended was also where their name and history began. Pedals sprouted and garlanded the beautiful tree. Many hung in tranquil silence, while others took flight and glided elegantly on the smooth winds like great birds of prey. Twirling and gliding in the air they hovered over to a small beach. Sitting on a small wooden bench; a petite girl wrapped in a pink kimono and with a pair of chop sticks holding her hair up in a stylish pony tail sat in complete inertia. Her name was Fuu. One of her hands was placed motionlessly on her thigh that was crossed over the other leg. Her chin rested comfortably in her smooth palm of her other hand, and her fingers tapped and rubbed her cheek gently and mindlessly. She inhaled and sighed softly. With all this exquisiteness and serenity she felt shoddily out of it. However; there was a reason why she was sitting down by the water. She desired solitude more than anything, her life was eventful and enjoyable but every now and then she needed to occasionally seek refuge away from it. _Seclusion, you'll always be a close companion of mine. _After that thought the girl felt the cool breeze caress her delicate pretty face and sieve through her swaying hair. _Don't worry I haven't forgotten you too_ she thought with a smile. The wind was also another eternal companion.

When she was sad she loved how it would blow against her skin and hair, it made her feel that they're was a formless life force that was embracing her. The resonance of it singing benevolently often soothed her when things felt like they couldn't get any worse. However; occasionally it did piss her off when it blew the things she was interested in like her diary the other day. Like a true companion sometimes it seemed like the most intrepid individual in the world, but also bugged the hell out of her sometimes. Gazing up at the pink and orange clouds she saw a small heap of the weeping sakura's vibrant white and pinkish pedals tumble across the sky. Raising her hand from her thigh into the air she collected a few of them. After catching them in her fragile small hand she looked at them vigilantly. There were three of them; she felt her thoughts come to a sudden halt. The small pedals reminded her of the days she traveled with those two guys that stole her life and her heart. _I never thought I would miss them that much, especially him. _One peddle was round and white and had a very vivid white complexion, that reminded her of Jin. It was bright and beautiful to the eyes, just like she remembered him. The next one was almost a pinkish red and looked like the wind had ripped part of it. _Mugen _she thought batting her chocolate eyes. Like him it was rough around the edges, but still attractive none the less. Then there was the third one, this one looked a little bit smaller than the rest. It was pinkish white and it had a very interesting oval shape to it. That one reminded her of herself. _Cute and unique _she thought with a smile.Then she lifted her hand and stretched her fingers and opened her palm up to the wind. With a hazy gust she watched as they were taken up into the air and carried to another destination. Very much like the inexorable wind, she wished she was free.

"How I miss those days," she said to herself in a low soft voice. Suddenly one of her amorphous companions informed her of something. As the breeze swept passed her face she caught the whiff of some kind of dish sautéing. "Do I smell teriyaki?" One of her co-workers that had worked in the kitchen told her that they were going to be having some kind of shrimp dumplings.

"Hey! Get your lazy ass up here!" a voice boomed from far behind her. She looked over her shoulder and standing up on a small hill side and she saw her friend Keen wearing his usual long dark sleeved baggy shirt and pants, around his forehead hung a white bandana with a red dot in the center of it. On one of his shoulders rested a long bo staff, he would often train with one to maintain his physic and sharpen his combat skills. He was one of the young boys that had volunteered to be a sentry for Mr. Ryoko's territories, and had been sent by the shogunate. He was one of the few people at this place that she had a real friendship with.

"I'm coming!" she answered happily. Keen smiled at the sight of her trotting towards him with her thin arms flowing with her swift and ditsy strides.

"You're never late, if food is part of the equation," he said with a smile and then turned back towards the forest that loomed behind the small beach and lake.

She had been working for a healer and acupuncturist by the name of Mr. Ryoko. He had studied the arts of healing from ancient Chinese scrolls, as well as western medicine and the books of the great healer known as Hippocrates. He worked not for profit but for the wellbeing of the people, this is why the shogunate didn't charge him taxes or other duties for his land and always provided great protection during precarious times. Fuu wanted to learn all about these arts and that's why she had volunteered like so many others to live and work alongside of this great teacher and healer. Fuu also thought it was beneficial to work with Mr. Ryoko for a while because he once told her that he had managed a restaurant in his younger days. Desperately she wanted to at least be able to manage a tea shop. Even though it had been many years since Fuu had worked at one, she still had ambition. Serving people who were on the road or just simple town folk was something that always interested her. Together they walked abreast down the dirt road that linked to the stunning and vast bamboo garden.

The garden was also a favorite of Fuu's. It had a wide variety of bamboo species sprouting out of the ground and towered over their heads. The huge garden was segmented into walkways and was decorated by a multitude of diverse and vivid flowers. They were the gems of the garden in Fuu's opinion. Her eyes strayed away from her companion and gawked at a small bed of red and white roses. Their unspoken and optic beauty always managed to occasionally rob Fuu of her train of thought. Mr. Ryoko greatly admired nature and always found that they brought solace to the people he had tended. _**Crmp! Crmp! Crimp! **_The damp and crunchy sounds of grass folding under her feet made her feel revitalized for some reasons. The girls striking chocolate eyes traveled back to her companion, he held a very pensive idiom. In an attempt to break the icy silence between them Fuu started to question him.

"So? How was your day?" her voice was sweet and soft but also irresolute. Keen sighed quietly; something seemed to really be on his mind.

"It was fine," he answered. Fuu noticed that he could be very moody at times when she had worked with him. "I got a chance to train and work out with that new comer."

"Oh, you mean Sensei-Watanabe? I heard he was very skilled, and a tough one to beat," she responded with an affable wink.

"That he is. That he truly is," he responded with a smile. Looking on ahead she spotted that red wooden bridge that curled like the segment of a serpent. Below it black waters flowed with numerous large golden fish swimming about it free as the water itself.

"So how was your day?" Keen asked.

_He's asking me how my day went, that's a first. _"Not to bad, kinda busy though,"

"Busy. You, that's a first," he responded with a grin. This dude always got the better of Fuu, and it pissed her off sometimes.

"Hey. You know I work plenty hard, so don't go off criticizing me like one of your grunts," she retorted angrily.

"Don't get your panties in a knot, I was just foolin around with you," he defended in a cool voice.

"And you wonder why I don't always talk with you," she said turning her nose up at the sky.

"It doesn't matter if you're happy with me or mad at me you want say anything to anyone soon." He was correct because the sent of roasting herbs, tamari, teriyaki, and wasabi was getting stronger by the minute. "We all know you're a Zen master when it comes to food." he was also correct about that statement as well.

"Well, your right about that, me, and my food, are one!" she said in a serious but sarcastic voice putting both of her index finger tips together forming a triangle. He laughed under his breathe at her joke. It was times like these she felt closest to him. They both had a great sense of humor and would often make small jokes or laugh about the circumstances of the day. At times she wished that she had the opportunity in her lifetime to have grown up with a boy like him. She had only known him for a short time yet she felt as if she had known him her whole life.

"Is Marmatu really cooking those shrimp dumplings?" Keen nodded silently. "Alright! For once were really having something good, not to say that he usually cooks bad food," she explained gazing at the vivid orange and red sky.

"I'm going to have the best cooking in the world in a couple of weeks," Keen said rubbing his stomach.

"Really, why is that?"

"Because my pops is having his fiftieth birthday and I'm going to my parents home by the ocean. Also Mr. Ryoko always honors those that still keep in contact with their relatives," Keen elucidated. "Nothing and I mean nothing beats grandmas rice balls. There the freakin best!" Fuu felt a strong stab of sorrow.

"Oh," she said softly looking back down at the water. In the dark rippling pond she could see a group of gold fish swimming together. The sight mirrored how she once was when she was growing up with her mother and her friends. She was an only child and both of her parents were dead. It had been less than a decade but it felt more like a century since her parents passed away. She wished that she could have been like the fish, living together in a cluster of life, or even like Keen. He may have been so far apart from his family in the world, but in their hearts he was less than a block away from them.

The dinning hall was full of people eating and conjugating with more vigor than a lively bon fire. Some were rambling on about their achievements of the day and their current major interest. Many were bragging in booming bigheaded voices and some were laughing hysterically. Girls flirted with the guards of the facility and many gossiped about nonsense. A few bodies were inebriated and smashed with sake, but all was in good fun. There was a very optimistic aura surrounding the souls of the room, except for Fuu that is.

Picking at her food she looked down at it with great dismay written across her pretty face and apathetic eyes. She sat at the very far end of a long wooden table, most of the people she knew at the table were all locked in conversation. Wanting to be by herself she sat away from them. One of her hands that was placed on her foreheads played with her long brown bangs.

"I thought you loved the food," a deep voice sounded behind her. She looked over her shoulder and saw the massive but joyous Marmatu standing with a mountain of sullied dishes in his chunky hands. He reminded Fuu of a great sumo wrestler that lived in her home town when she was a little kid. A warm smile rippled across her un-enthusiastic face.

"It's not the food at all, it's very good actually." She stabbed a shrimp with her chop sticks and bit it off. After swallowing it she looked back down at her plate with an ominous face. "It's the mood I'm in." The hefty man looked down at the floor. He was now in deep thought and completely ignored the repugnant stains that tarnished his floors.

"I see," he responded quietly. "Like the great one once said, do your best, and that is all you should worry about," he spoke in an earnest voice.

"Thanks," she responded. The large man smiled at her warmly.

"Remember to save room for desert, were having this stuff brought over from Europe called danishes they're really good." With that said he moved on to his hysterical kitchen. Fuu was hungry but her bad mood simply diminished her endless appetite. She picked up another seasoned shrimp and popped it into her mouth. It tasted very good and it heightened her taste buds, for a moment she forgot about the pains of being terribly alone in a crowded room full of affection and intimacy.

When she finished her evening meal she walked back to her corridor. Her head hung low her hands rested at her side. Walking along the stone roads that connected all the different buildings she saw so many other young people like herself moving about carrying out tasks. Fuu was like them, she was doing her part, but for some reason she felt ever so distant from them. It was like she was sitting up high in the canopy of a forest while she wordlessly watched a party and explosion of human happiness and togetherness erupted blissfully below her. How was it possible for so many people to be happy and together and yet she was so ever distant from all of them. The stars were out and night had fallen. They gleamed and sparkled endlessly and relentlessly in the dim azure awning. Her footsteps of her sandals clacking across the bridge that lead over a small river seemed to echo in her mind. Sound itself started to fade from her troubled ears. Her mind was a web of unanswerable questions and notions of what she was doing and why she carried out with her life. Fuu was an optimistic girl, and always found a good reason to smile. However; tonight squeezing a smile felt harder than trying to bring eternal peace to the universe. What was the principle of smiling, why? If a tree falls it is soundless if the ears around it are deaf or aren't within earshot. The same exact theory applied to Fuu with her positive attitude. What is smiling if there is nobody there that cares or appreciates that person's optimism? Emotions of anger, confusion, sadness, and vacillation clouded her basic mind. Warily she rested her body on the wooden railing of the bridge.

_My. The water is deep down there _she thought looking down at the water. They gleamed brilliantly like a patch of a million diamonds stretched across a blue waving cloak. _Oh no don't think about shit like that. _She shook her head to free herself of the thought. The deep water and the fact that she was alone in the dark made her almost desired the thought of suicide. _It wouldn't matter, even if I did who would really notice or who would it impact. _She sighed and sobbed quietly in the dark. Even though she felt that she was at finally on the right track in life, she also felt like she was caught in a world that didn't understand or accept her existence. For many years she had actually felt like this on the inside. Only now it was beginning its dismaying and overwhelming manifestation.

"Is there something wrong?" a monotone and masculine voice sounded from behind her. She peered over her left shoulder and saw a man wearing a large straw hat. He stepped towards her and she could now make out his features clearly, it was Mr. Ryoko. He had a long mustache and wore a white shirt with a long brown cloak. Running a hand past her eyes she smiled at him weakly.

"Good evening Mr. Ryoko," she said with a bow. "I'm okay, and thank you for asking," she spoke softly and then turned back to the glossy glimmering river.

"You feel that there is something missing," her mentor remarked. Her eyes widened with that statement. It was like he had gazed straight into the very depths of her bleeding heart and her hollow soul.

"Yeah," she answered him quietly. "Something like that." Smoothly he walked right beside her and placed both of his hands on the railing.

"It is a very exquisite sight isn't."

"It sure is."

"Its beauty is not one that is an external mask shading its truthful intent, nor is it one that desires just to be worshiped. In many ways you could say this beautiful sight is almost as mysterious as the human soul," he spoke in a studious tone. Fuu batted her beautiful eyes aimlessly.

"Huuuhhh?" he had lost her when he began to mention something about masks. He looked over at her and smiled.

"What is really important however is that one that is so beautiful like this gift from the earth, shouldn't be so lost in sorrow," he said rolling his knuckle across her pale wet cheek. She actually smiled at him warmly. "Why don't I take you back to your room," he said leading her away from the railing.

"I wish everyone in this world was as kind as you," Fuu thanked him.

Mr. Ryoko almost never took the time to just sit down at speak with someone casually. Generally he was busy working, or he was running some kind of errands. It didn't matter really what he was up to it just always seemed that he was always preoccupied. Fuu left the bridge really feeling gifted.

Back at her room she laid down on her European style bed and flipped through the pages of her dairy. She was reading many of the entries she had made a while back when she had been traveling with Jin and Mugen. Lightning danced and slashed the sky and thunder came crashing down above her head. She sighed as she finished reading another page. One of the things Fuu missed most about her days with her two companions was all the action they had endured, and all the adventures they had embarked on.

"Oh that day was just craaaazy!" she said out loud. The day they had spent in Hiroshima running around with those punk-like twins that squared off with graffiti was a day that she still remembered as if it happened a month ago. "That guy was so handsome," she recalled that evening she had spent with that Ainu man. Like Mugen she felt it in her heart that he was still venturing somewhere far away. "Uh, that was just creepy," she flipped over to the entry about the day they ran into that Shige guy and his army of zombified laborers. There were times when she questioned if that adventure was just one big trip. She didn't remember eating any mushrooms, but anything was possible. "And then there was that day," she said in a sad voice recalling the day she met up with her sick father. Trying not to cry she flipped around to another page. "Oh that adventure was just hilarious," she laughed recalling the time the three of them entered into an eating contest. Suddenly there was a knocking sound at her door. Quickly she placed her book of memories under her pillow and ran over to her door. She opened it and was met with a drenched Matchiko. He was another one of the volunteers taking up acupuncture.

"Fuu! Please come to the infirmary. We need all the help we can get," he said with great haste. He handed her an umbrella quickly. She nodded and took it from him and dashed with him into the pouring ran. Her bare feet smacked the hard earth but she didn't care.

"What's happening!" she questioned snapping her umbrella open.

"Terrible situation, one of the worse duels I have ever heard of," he answered. Fuu suddenly found herself wanting to know more than just the bare minimum. "Many of those so called samurai had been engaging in a multitude of illegal duels that had taken place by that large mountain range." Suddenly Fuu fell into a state of remembrance and awe as thoughts about Mugen and Jin spun around in her skull.

"Oh my god," she gasped.

"Many are hurt but few will pass away, especially if everyone is in there tonight," Matchiko continued.

"In that case," she jogged closer towards him and positioned the top of the umbrella over his head. "I know who's the better jack of all trades here, so you better not get sick on me," she said with a smile. Matchiko smiled at her as he jogged through the bombarding rain.

Inside the main infirmary both chaos and progress seemed intertwined. People were rushing in wounded samurai and lying them down to be aided. Out front metal stretchers brought many of the wounded warriors into the huge structure. Even though it was a bit smaller than Hiroshima castle it reminded her of it with its traditional architecture. Fuu was dashing around the place like a starving wolf pursing a petrified deer. She carried bandages and medicinal herds from one room to the next. It saddened the young girl greatly to see so many hurt, but what made her even more depressed was the fact that she didn't see Jin anywhere. Even though it would have been a crazy turn of events, she had hoped that he was one of those guys engaging in those duels. Many of the samurai had just suffered small nasty cuts, and few had severe injuries like served limbs. She walked up to one man lying down on a red rug in one of the rooms upstairs. She placed all of her tools down and took out a small bowl of greenish cream made from crushed up herbs and other plants.

"Please, just don't thrash around," she stated. Carefully she placed a glob of it on his wounded elbow. His teeth clinched with pain and he growled fiercely. "Let go, just let go, relaxing is the only way your body will be able to work with the medicine and make you better," she spoke softly holding one of his hands. Then his hasty breathing started to slow down and his eyes closed. Seeing that her work was done and that she needed a serious break she got up from where she knelt and headed for the door. Quietly as she opened it she heard the samurai behind her say something.

"Th-thank you," he said in a pain stricken voice. Looking over at him Fuu's mouth curved and formed an affable smile.

Outside on the front porch of the infirmary Fuu sat down with both of her hands on her cheeks, and her elbows rested on her knees. The rain was fast and relentless. Sitting under the porch made her feel like she was taking refuge behind a massive waterfall. She looked up at it flowing down from the dark and mystifying sky.

_I wish I could become the rain once in a while. Then I would be able to make contact and touch people, feel what their hearts feel, tap into their souls, and actually understand what they are going through _she thought enviously. Another thing that bothered Fuu is even though she was helping many people she often didn't know who they were or anything about them. Suddenly she heard footsteps of an approaching person. She looked over her shoulder and saw Matchiko walking towards her.

"How many have you helped so far?" he inquired.

"Tch, too many to even count," she answered triumphantly. Then it became quite apparent to her to ask that question that she needed to ask. "So, did you see anybody that looked like?"

"Like what? Oh yeah. That samurai with glasses, unfortunately I haven't yet. It would be very rare to collide with someone who owned a pair of western instruments like that."

"Oh," Fuu answered with the sound of defeat and depression in her voice. "Well thank you for trying."

"What I did hear though is you know the smaller infirmary down the small sandy path that overlooks the lake?"

"Yes, they only use that when there are so many injured that-"

"I know, but I've had my ear to the ground and I heard something about their being this really strange guy they put down there." Abruptly Fuu felt something erupt inside of her. The closest thing she could describe it to was the feeling of joy, and emotions of hope. "They don't know what his name is and he was with the dueling samurai. Also many people tried to help him but he just rejects anybody who comes near him.

_Could it be? _She thought with a smile. "I think I'll go check him out," she said in a very confident voice.

"In that case." she saw a folded up umbrella come into her field of vision. "You'll need this more than I," Matchiko said with a grin. She thanked him and dashed down the small steps and into the rain with her umbrella towering over her petite figure. Matchiko stood and smiled as he watched her disappear down the small sandy path. There was something about her cute running pattern that always made him happy.

Soon she got down to the small house on the edge of the dock of the large lake. A man with a yari-spear stood out front and saluted her. Fuu simply waved to him. Sliding open the rice paper door she gazed down the hallway. There were so many doors and sets of stairs.

"Excuse me, but do you know which room that guy in the strange clothing is in?"

"Last one on the right," the man answered.

"Thank you," she called back. Then she started to walk down the still and quiet halls. Her soft foot steps are all that bounce off the walls. Now that night had fallen all seemed quiet; except for the crickets humming cheerfully. The notion of who this man really captured her attention. Was he big or small, powerful or humble? She didn't know why but for some reason her heart was deeply drawn to this stranger. With a slight creak she opened the door. The room was very dark and she couldn't really make out his features. He was lying face down on a few thick blankets. The only light that came into the room was from a torch that was lit in the hallway. Above where he laid there was a window, but it didn't provide much luminosity. Trying not to even make a squeak she entered the room stealthy as a vigilant ninja. Because He was lying face down on his stomach that also made him even less distinguishable. Suddenly her eyes saw a scabbard lying next to him. All that was really visible to her was its silhouette. She picked up one of the tall slender candles that stood in a holster on the floor and carried it out into the hallway. Using the burning torch on one of the hallway walls she lit the candle. When she got back to the room she lit the other two candles on the ground. Now that the room was glowing lively with orange radiance she could see the man and his sword.

His sword was a long sword, and its style looked to be Europeanesque. It had a straight silver cross guard and a black scabbard. Her eyes swayed over to stranger and she noticed something was very familiar about him. He was wearing a pair of dark shorts and a crimson jacket. Fuu's eyes narrow, she also knows his hair is a heap of split ends and tangled bangs. Words could not describe the sudden emotion of shock and amazement.

"Mu-Mugen," she said in a whispering voice. Carefully she got down on her knees and hands and crawled towards him with great caution. Was it him, it was certainly possible, this person had the same build and design of clothing as Mugen. With gentle hands and careful amounts of force she rolled the stranger over on his back. Her heart jumped again. _Mugen! _It was him alright. His features could have never been mistaken for anyone else's. His chin was narrow and sharp, like the great mountains they had climbed when they met that Ainu archer. However; there was nothing feminine about this facet of his facial features. Yet his eyes were so richly beautiful she remembered. They were hazel and had both anger and passion merging and mingling endlessly and powerfully. His face was broad and striking just like she had remembered him perfectly. Abruptly her thoughts came to a screeching halt, his mouth opened. A vulgar and painful groan came ripping through his jaws.

"Mugen! Mugen!" she squeaked in a desperate voice. She wrapped her thin arms around his waist and buried her face in his stomach. There wasn't a form of lexis that could portray her feelings for him or do her express how she felt in that desperate moment. Mugen lifted one of his hands off of the ground and rubbed his forehead, he snarled with pain. Like a small baby bird peering out of its nest for the first time in its existence Fuu looked up from his body and gazed into his distorted face. "Are you okay?"

"What, when, why, and how, wait a minute, did I just get some or did I jussst!" His words were running into each other like jousters crashing and shattering their opponents. He didn't talk like he was sober

"Its me, Fuu," he voice was a soft and concerned as ever.

"Who?" he asked in a grumpy voice

"Fuu!" she growled. "Remember! Tea shop girl, sun-flowery samurai, that guy with the glasses you were always fighting."

"Whoa! This isn't about that!" he said rubbing his eyes drowsily.

"About what?" she asked.

"That one nighter, because I haven't for at least six months, which is kinda freakin-" Fuu slapped him in the stomach lightly. He growled with pain and looked directly at her. This time he seemed to notice her more.

"Wait a sec, I do know you," he said with a smile. Fuu felt a great sense of relief sweep and flutter through out her being. "Your that feisty and ditsy little bitch that stiffed me and that dude with the glasses with that coin," he spoke this time in an angrier tone.

"Yep I sure did," she responded looking down at the floor.

"Yeah. And I still haven't gotten you back for that one yet," his words carried a threatening and aggressive pitch and density. Fuu felt her heart quicken with fear, her legs started to quiver slightly and sweat started to damp her neck.

"Wait. Now look. That was all around five years ago, at least," she defended trying to force herself to smile.

"That don't freakin matter if it was a second ago or a decade ago. What matters if I'm in the state to get my revenge!" he said pushing himself up off the floor. Fuu had a very terrified radiance in her eyes. "If I'm alive, I can claim what's mine," he said smiling sinisterly.

**And ONCE AGAIN the all mighty cliff hanger emerges! **

**I hope you enjoyed reading this chapter/episode as much as I did writing it. **

**Stay tuned because the next chapter is going to be a big foundation layer for the overall storyline. **


	2. Where In The World!

**Where in the World?! **

**This chapter/episode is a big foundation builder for the plot and main driving conflict in the story. There is some humor and some dramatic parts to it. We will also learn a little bit about Mugen's past! And it this chapter/episode gives us a hint as to who Mugen's father might be!**

**Enjoy As Always!!!**

_Oh great, I go out of my way to help him out and he threatens me! Well now I know this guy is Mugen for sure _Fuu thought. Abruptly he snarled and grabbed his waist. Then he started to rub the back of his neck and lower back. Tenderly she placed her thin hands on his shoulders and made him sit back against the wall of the small room. Even though his words had a devious tint and his tone was aggressive, she didn't fear him too badly. Of course he was always very volatile and somewhat impulsive, and that always brought apprehension and shivers down her slender spine

"Easy, just take it easy," she said. Her voice was softer than silk. "Lucky for you Mr. Ryoko is a healer, Buddhist, and a considerate person. Instead he could be a scamming physician, and you would be broke as usual."

"A holistic humanist huh! What a combination," he said with a slight hint of cockiness and haughtiness in his voice.

"Have you bumped into Jin at all?"

"Who was that guy again?" Mugen inquired sounding a bit smashed. Fuu wanted to roar at him, but was able to restrain herself because she knew who she was dealing with.

"The guy you wanted to kill, but became friends instead of foes, quiet, decorous, placid," she started to stare out the window and got lost in her thoughts about the dreamy and handsome ronin.

"Oh yeah. Four eyes," he said scratching his chin with his thumb. "How's that dude doin?"

"The last time I saw him was when we all went our separate ways that day," Fuu answered.

"I know that tune, I wouldn't mind seeing that punk now that were even," Mugen said cracking his knuckles. Fuu rolled her cute chocolate eyes at him.

"My Mugen you haven't changed a bit," she said rubbing one of her shoulders.

"Of course; you know that's part of my code. So what have you been up too hangin out around this place?" He inquired. She looked away from him and at the ground in silence. It was hard to answer his question for some non-apparent reason. Indecision clouded her response, articulating what she had been desired from life over their hiatus wasn't easy.

"Well. I have been studying medicine and the arts of healing from both the east and the mysterious west."

"Cool," Mugen commented starring at the flickering flames of the candles.

"That and, I heard Mr. Ryoko used to run a tea shop."

"Like the one me and loony burned down there," he said with a grin, even though they technically didn't light the fires that scorched the place. Fuu's lips creased and she formed a very agitated yet happy grin.

"Yes," she said derisively. "There are other good benefits to working for this guy though."

"The food?"

"Oh definitely," she said rubbing her smooth flat stomach.

"Geisha?"

"What?!" she asked in a shocked voice.

"Well not for you, but I'm positive there were a few dudes that brought me in here. So I bet working hard at this joint they need some easy time," He said looking around the room scuffing the back of his head with his fingernails. Turned away from him Fuu started to clench her teeth with anger. _What the hell is his problem! I could of sworn this guy was blind, he's rambling on about chicks and he can't even fucking see the beautiful one right in front of him. _

"What was that?" Mugen said suspiciously. Fuu sighed softly and turned back to him with gloominess and rejection etched in her face.

"Oh nothing interesting," she said placidly. "So what were you doing at that gathering of ronins this evening?" Mugen turned his strong glance away from her for a moment and starred down at the ground wordlessly. His face looked like it had rage and concentration coalescing intensely.

"Well it was kind of a last minute thing. Down at a sake shop in that small village on the river I heard about these punks called ronins." Fuu huddled closer to him on her knees and continued to listen to him. "I didn't know what the hell they were so this local filled me in on a few tid-bits of info on them. He told me that they were like those vanishing warriors called samurai, but master-less and only fought for the highest bidder. He told me where they were and how to get there via small short cut. I figured I'd meet a few swords that knew how to party."

"And then what happened?" Fuu asked not wanting to be cloaked in suspense.

"Well what do ya think professor; I took that cut and found the group on top of a small hill by the mountains. Damn, did those bastards know what they were doing. I had a grand old time. However; I collided with someone." His voice suddenly dropped from being very pleasant and enthusiastic to extremely stern and collected, it gave Fuu quakes and quivers across her spine and through out her being. "Someone I had never met before, but unquestionably recognized," he spoke in an even more stern tone, Fuu could feel her shivering escalate. She started to lean a little bit closer and started to loose herself in concentration and interest. "I was taking on one of those ronin dudes, when I noticed that there was this one guy who appeared to have all his attention in the world focused on me," he said narrowing his eyes. It was rarer to see Mugen talking like this than it was to see five shooting stars in a single night fall. Whoever this guy was, he must have been of great fascination and significance. She started to wonder about who this guy could have been.

"How were you able to focus on someone while you were fighting?"

"Tch. You know me; I'm like a shark with a keen brain. I saw him focusing in and out of the corner of my eyes. He stood there as silent and as deadly as a docile viper. I could also sense the air change, something was different in the aura that was adjoining our combat. Waiting, and waiting, waiting." Fuu's eyes widened.

"Wow! Well what happened?" She asked grabbing one of his legs. Mugen leaned his head against the wall behind him and a baleful smirk twisted across his stone solid face.

"I naturally just assumed he wanted a piece of me. So I just did him the great favor and stepped up. I leapt over the fire that they had been meditating or doing whatever the hell they do and lashed out at him." Pausing he looked down at his hands and wondered how they had failed him. "I can't say I've ever fought someone like him before. Certainly that reserved samurai that had been tracking us was on par with him, but his sword and stance were both like nothing else. Cutting through the air I gave it my best shot but he leaned away from me and blocked everything I threw at him. Then he eventually parried one of my slashes and then unleashed a few of his own sly tricks." Motioning his arms Mugen mirrored the movements of his adversary. "The sharp looking thug really had his stuff down flat, his swipes, stabs, and lunges were perfect and he almost cut me twice. His sword also looked a lot like that blade I got from that hermit dude," he spoke pointing to his blade that rested up against the wall in its scabbard. "Also just by checkin out his clothing I could tell that he was one of those illegal people, kinda like that one we helped out a while back."

"You think he was from the West?"

"Think. I know. He had a silver helmet that had a strange curved shape and he wore a metallic chest and back plate. He also wore those baggy trousers and rugged boots." Painting a picture of this man in her head Fuu started to picture kind of a conquistador looking man or a crusader she had read about from the Medieval Ages in Europe. "What bothered me more than anything each time he almost sliced me he would stop and then retreat. I kept pursuing him, but he kept puttin my persistent hide back in its freakin place. I eventually chased him down the hill and we squared off down by this small waterfall at in the heart of a dark forest. I was starting to wonder why the hell he was in the area especially where the dueling samurai were." Fuu had never seen Mugen so stern, and she had never heard him speak in such a descriptive manner.

"I questioned him, **just who the hell are you?! **He sneered at me and then continued to attack me. Then he said that **I am someone who knows you, but am a mystery to**. I asked what was that shit all about. He grinned at me again and said that he knew something about my past. With those words my feet anchored in the ankle high water he had been fighting in. Then he said some kind of junk about finding peace within me, and that there was a ray of hope for me," he spoke gazing into Fuu's large eyes. "At this point I was lost in both my fucked up thoughts and emotions, and for once in my heated existence I didn't have a come back. I snarled at him and roared at him to stop pissin me off. Once again he evaded my slashes, kicks, and moves most people don't get to talk about once I've unleashed them. Then he told me that there was a chance I could find out who I am and seize possibly the greatest opportunity that would ever roll in front of me," he spoke with his voice deepening. "I told him that the world has never offered me anything, so it was hard to believe that it would come around now. Unfortunately; he had the trump cards of all comebacks that left me both winded and unvoiced," he said calmly. Fuu started to chew on her lower lip in fascination and anxiety from Mugen's suspenseful story. **"…You know they do say a father knows best, and I his ideas are often truly remarkable…"**

_Father! _That single word rang out in my head. Then he told me to arrive as soon as possible to the lands where my existence began. Fuu opened her mouth but he cut her off.

"Yep, the Ryu Kyus. Then before I could even ask him why he delivered this message the bastard pulled a fast and low one and dashed from me. Crashing through the waterfall I chased after him. Before I could even get a hand on him, I saw him draw one of those fancy fire arms through the surging whiteness of the waterfall. He fired, and as you can see he wasn't even trying to dish out some damage, he said pointing to his elbow." Fuu examined his elbow closely and noticed it had a long and thin scratch on it running transversely. "The blast spooked me; I didn't even know that he had nicked me. I lost my balance and went crashing backwards and hit my head on somethin freakin hard. For a few I moved around like a drunk swaying and heaving, trying desperately to reach the forest floor. Gradually I made my way to the small dirt beach but I fell flat on my face." Then he smiled and looked up at the ceiling, and then he snickered a little bit and threw hand on his forehead. Fuu gazed at him bewilderedly and wondered at what was so funny.

"I don't know if I missed it, but what was funny about all that?" Fuu asked looking a little concerned.

"You know how I said I was moving like I cocked, well I was also swearing loudly like I do when I'm cocked." He continued to laugh. If it hadn't been for my usual comments that guy probably would have never found me! The small beach had been surrounded by thick bushes and trees and with me lying down all hammered I would still probably be there right now. Oh my luck, it's the one weapon and comrade that never fails me," he said with a smile closing his eyes.

_Luck _Fuu thought. Abruptly she corrupted the still and euphoria vibe that they had shaped with a sniffle. Then she quickly snapped her body away from him and covered her face with her slender hands. Through the prison of fingers and her gleaming tears she could see his feet shift. When her sniffle broke the conversation they were having he took note of her sudden shift in persona.

"Hey? What's goin on?" Mugen asked sitting up from the wall. _God! I always thought this broad was bipolar, this definitely proves it!_ he thought angrily. "Is it your time of the month? Somethin jump up your crotch? Or-" Before he could get another question in he heard her sob loudly then she grabbed him around the waist like a komodo dragon seizing its prey. He could feel her tears dampen his shirt and her voice stuttered with her sobs.

"It's been so long!" she continued to cry. "I thought I had lost you forever. That very thought has come to haunt me everyday since we parted ways." She sniffled and started to tighten her squeeze around him slightly. "You have no idea what it felt like; words can't illustrate how I have longed for your presence!" She sobbed louder. Mugen blinked in a dumfounded way. "I missed everything, your personality; you're selfish but selflessness nature. I missed you! You just have no-" Suddenly she shut up as she felt a hand caress her back softly. _What?! What's this? _Was he actually embracing her, after all this time, all their adventures, and all that they had been through, was he at finally revealing something to her that she had waited for so many years.

"I'm not dead yet," he remarked with a smirk. "So there's no reason for this." She looked up at him with her tear streaked and red face. He ran a finger down her wet cheek; her cheerless face faded and was brightened with a smile. "Now that looks a little bit more recognizable," he said winking at her. She reburied her face in his side happily. "I have another question to ask you."

"Anything," Fuu responded softly.

"Is there anyway you can hustle anything from the restaurant or kitchen in this place? I know it's not that far?" he asked looking around the room. Once again his primitive motivations and spontaneous ness managed to destroy the moment once again. Nevertheless; it didn't matter, she was at complete peace with him.

"I'll see what I can do." With that said she got up from his side and left the room as happy as a school girl about to go on vacation.

Later that night she did manage to get him something to eat, and he ate all of it with out hesitation. They spent the night talking some more about what they had been up to over the years, the good times and the bad. Both of them enjoyed each others company. Mugen didn't admit it to much but it felt great to unwind and converse with someone about his adventures. Fuu hadn't felt so great in a long time. The only other person she shared such a history with was Jin, and he rarely said anything about himself or asked questions about others. Talking with Mugen felt outstanding, and the gaping whole that she felt in her heart earlier felt like it was starting to close. Around midnight she left him to sleep. Before she left she gave him a firm hug, although he wasn't the best person in the world at giving them or receiving them. As she trotted back to her bedroom under the glittering, azure, star-lit sky her mind was filled with thoughts of happiness and accomplishment. Now it seemed possible for them to be together again. When she came to the front porch of the dormitory she paused for a moment and thought deeply. _The time has come, I will be able to help pay him back, and have fun and explore new places at the same time. _

_**This small chapter was really just a big foundation builder. We now know a little bit more about Mugen's mysterious past, and what will drive the plot and the conflict for the next long series of chapters/episodes. One thing I liked about writing this chapter was the mix of humor and sincerity between Fuu and Mugen. **_


	3. Cascade Cruisin

_**Cascade Cruisin **_

_**Fuu and Mugen set out on their new journey, Fuu isn't a great navigator, and Mugen shouldn't paddle under the influence, Splash!!! Crrrrrssshhhhhh!!! Splaaash! Curplunk! **_

It was another morning. The sun was rising and the earth was gradually reawakening. The creatures of the night had had their share, and now it was time for them to shift the soil to the beings of the day. Many Buddhists once questioned the relationship between day and night. Many often thought that if people in the world lived by this philosophy of comparable bartering then things would possibly be better, and chaos itself would seem far away. Regardless; Fuu wasn't taking this shift very well.

"Nrrrrr!" she moaned softly. Her eyes were kind of bloodshot and were very sore like the feet of a soccer player at the end of an enduring practice. She was walking down a small dirt path from her dorm room towards the kitchen; she knew that breakfast came before everything and anything else in the world. The day ahead was going to be extrememly busy so she wanted to be the early and lucky bird this morning.

The dining hall wasn't all that crowded. Only a few of the guards and some very assiduous students of Mr. Ryoko were up this early and eating. Sweet bread that was shaped like turtles and star fish with a few pieces of fruit is what she had for breakfast. The sweet bread was warm and delicious, and the apples and grapes filled her taste buds with great delight. After breakfast she walked into the back of the kitchen and asked if she could borrow a small silver serving tray. The typical trays used for serving the general people would have also worked, but she wanted something nicer for Mugen. Fortunately Sausko was working and he was always more than happy to help Fuu in anyway.

"Thank you," she called back to him as she left with a tray full of fresh fruit and sweet bread and green and white tea. It wasn't to far of a walk for her to where Mugen was staying, but keeping the tray steady as she walked down from the dirt path was not so simple. The house was at the bottom of a long hill green hill that sloped downward. Carefully watching where she stepped she managed not to let a single cup fall, or a piece of food become sullied with dirt. When she got to the house she placed the tray down on a small stone bench and slid the door open. Bending back down to pick up Mugen's breakfast she saw a squirrel dash across the ground gleefully. The sight reminded her of Mu-Mu, her old pet flying squirrel. Inside the house only a few rays of light managed to illuminate the dim hallway from the only window all the way at the end of the long room. Something about getting him breakfast made Fuu feel great. Not just because she was doing a good deed for an old friend but she just felt more alive and in touch with the world around her. When she came upon the door to his room she knocked on it and waited for a reply. Nothing followed.

"Mugen, you might want to get up, because this breakfast here won't be as fresh as you for much longer," she said with a smile. Still there was nothing, not a comeback or an insult, or even a grunt of exhaustion. Fuu became suspicious. Warily she placed a hand on the door and opened it gradually. The room was very dim and shadowy but she couldn't see the silhouette of his sword or his body anywhere. If she hadn't placed the tray she was carrying on a small stool next to the door she would have dropped it for sure. Her heart's pace began to quicken and it reached a fervent pace that made all her senses and nerves gush with life and vigilance. Trying to calm herself down she couldn't prevent the emotion totally.

_Where is he?! _That was the only question that her mind could focus on. Emotions of fear and wonder started to ascend in her painfully, like a corpse rising to the top of a murky lake. _Don't panic Fuu!_ _You really don't know what is happened! Just calmly leave the building and start asking people if they've seen him._ Leaving the room and gaiting down the long dark hallway she continuously drew various conclusions as to what may have happened. Did they kick him out! They must have noticed that he wasn't from around the area and that he could have been an illegal alien. _No way! Mr. Ryoko would have cared for him and sent him out. _Was it possible that he was only hanging out in the area to avoid some gang members that were stalking him? Not possible! _Mugen always deals with his people he has conflicts with face to face, that wouldn't be like him to run away and hide. _Shutting the door to the structure behind her she thought of possibly the worse notion of them all. _Maybe he just got up and left! He got what he wanted and felt no purpose to hang around and left. I was only a tool for him. _Shutting her eyes and leaning her head against the door she sighed softly. _Just a tool _she thought painfully starting to whimper a little bit.

"Oh yeah. That felt awesome!" a voice sounded behind her. Her eyes popped open wide as marbles. The voice was distinguishable; there wasn't one like it anywhere else. Turning around she saw Mugen sitting on that gray stone bench rubbing one of his ankles. He wore only his white shirt with his dark greenish shorts. She noticed that he was wearing a necklace with a yin-yang amulet outlined with silver. With a yawn he stretched his long tan arms behind his head. Fuu was speechless, one minute she thought he had disappeared without a trace or farewell, and now he was right there in the flesh. Glancing over to his right he noticed Fuu staring at him. "Oh. Didn't see ya there, what's up?" he spoke in a very casual tone. Fuu inhaled and exhaled heavily like she had seen a ghost, but then straightened out her twisted and jumpy mind. She frowned at him and narrowed her big chocolate eyes.

"Where were you?!"

"What kind of a morning greeting is that? You wake up on the wrong side of the world or somethin?" Fuu clenched her teeth. He had no idea of what she felt when she noticed he was gone.

"Rrrrr. You had me worried sick!"

"I went for a morning jog because I woke up kinda groggy this morning. I didn't know that was a crime!" Fuu figured it was better to just let the incident roll off her slender shoulders and not get so worked up over nothing. He was right in front of her, and all of her crazy little ideas were wrong.

"Since we had a long night last night, I figured something to eat would help with that," she said in a low voice.

"Really? Where is the food at?" he asked rubbing his eyes. He still seemed a bit on the bleary and muzzy side even though he just went for a jog around the area.

"Wait out here. I'll be back in a second," she said sliding the long door back open.

"Good, I'd rather eat outside anyways," Mugen remarked looking down at the sandy ground. Fuu sighed stoically and stepped back into the dim hallway. "Hey," Mugen snapped from where he sat. The quiet girl stopped dead in her tracks and waited for his next vulgar remark. "Sorry about that," he said in a very calm pitch. Her eyes enlarged with shock.

_Maybe he did change in some ways_ she thought happily as she went to get his breakfast. When she came back out she was delighted to see him smile at the sight of her.

"Wow, you guys have those things," he said enthusiastically pointing to the sweet bread. "Man you've been liven large, liven so large!" he smiled taking a star shaped piece of sweet bread. Hungrily he tore into it with his tough teeth and washed it down with some white tea. Fuu poured herself a small cup of green tea into one of the white ceramic tea cups. She smiled joyfully to watch him eat. He still devoured his food like a raccoon that hadn't eaten in weeks, but his rudimentary way of life didn't bother her the least. Sitting down with her old companion felt like a day when they were on the road together on their great journey some five years ago.

"Well, what do you think of the place?" she asked.

"It ain't that bad, not really my place to hang out though," he stated taking another huge bite of the sweet bread.

"Like your breakfast?"

"What does it look like," he said gulping down a cup of white tea hastily. It was great to hear his quick and snappy comments again, she didn't know anybody else that spoke or answered her in that spontaneous and humorous manner. Turning away from Mugen she looked at the beautiful lake stretched out behind the structure where Mugen was resting. It appeared to her like a million sapphire stones, shimmering and locked together in an infinite pattern. There was something about the sight that sparked her thoughts. She loved how when the wind picked up it moved freely, and when it was still it appeared like it was glass. In many ways it was like one giant entity that had all the autonomy in the world to alter its shape and dance with the wind and crash softly on the shore. It was so gorgeous. Holding his cup of tea Mugen looked over at Fuu. From this angle he actually noticed how beautiful she was. Because her face was turned away from him he truly noticed the contour of her petite and attractive figure. He gazed past her and he saw the large lake behind the house he had taken refuge in. Mugen was also spellbound by its unrelenting beauty.

"And you always wondered why I was so attracted to the ocean," he spoke in a very cool voice. Fuu looked over at him turning all of her attention away from what she had been gazing at.

"I'm sorry, what did you say?" Fuu asked sweetly.

"Tch! It's nothing like the ocean. Though, it does try to copy it in a small way," he said sipping his tea. Fuu understood what he was saying. The ocean was where he always felt at peace for some reason. Although it seemed like when ever they were near it in their adventures something bad always happened. **Adventures!** That word stuck out in her mind and she was instantly reminded what she needed to ask him about.

"Hey! Mugen. Do you remember what we talked about last night? Or should I say what you were talking about."

"Uuuh, what?"

"You know, that speech, that mysterious guy there with that swift sword."

"Oh. That weird and mysterious dude," he spoke taking a sip of his tea. "Yeah? What about'em?" Fuu's hands in her lap that held her tea started to shake somewhat. She was unsure of how he would respond to what she was about to say.

"Well, did you consider anything he said to you?" she asked in a voice beleaguered with anxiety.

"Gave it a bit of thought. Why?" He answered looking over at her with eyes growing with suspicion. She wasn't sure how to answer him; right now words weren't doing her emotions or motives justice. Frustratingly she chewed on it for a few seconds trying to conceive the best lexis to express her ideas.

"I-I, sorta kinda, thought." She spoke like a nervous victim of crime. Mugen raised an inquiring eyebrow. _Why is it so hard to say what I want to say, I know what I want, but why is it so hard. _Both mental and physiological factors were fighting inside of her furiously. She had never felt so hard-pressed to say what she wanted to Mugen, of all people. "Maybe it would be a good idea to reunite you with your father," she said quietly. Relief rushed out of her like a flock of petrified birds retreating from a placid lake. However; her old nervous feelings were now replaced by emotions of unsure trepidation. Mugen looked at her with an intense look at her that could raise the dead. It was too hard for her to make eye contact with him; she could tell she had stirred something unpleasant in his mind, just like pushing a well placed stone out of the bottom of a bridge. "I'm sorry, I'm so sorry," she apologized now almost crying. Mugen returned his gaze back to the ground. Nothing seemed to be drawing sound, not even the birds in the small trees by the long bench they sat on.

"Don't be sorry, it wasn't your fault that bastard screwed up," he said in very low and collected voice. Fuu got the feeling that his parents didn't get along very well, and that they didn't love Mugen. He told her about the stories of when he was very young and how he had to raise himself. In the Ryu Kyus the only parents he had were pirates that taught him the way of the world, and carved him in their rugged image. She also got the feeling that his mom and dad never premeditated his existence, and therefore was thrown into the darkness of the world. Looking away from him she started to think about other alternatives to why they should embark on such a quest.

"If that's the case, then why don't you seek what I once sought." Mugen looked over at her carefully and then gazed back at the ground.

"Vengeance? Huh, what the hell would that do?" he retorted coolly and calmly. "I can't freakin change what was rendered." He took a deep breath and looked off to his left side away from her.

"You might learn something about your past. And how do you know that your parents split up for your protection. You remember what my case was with my father; it could have been a very similar situation." Mugen just shrugged silently. "Also what about that opportunity he spoke about. It could have been a job with the government."

"I've been on their bad side as long as I can remember," Mugen spoke in a deep tone.

"Or maybe treasure or something your father once owned that he left for you."

"God you're a bad comedian, because those were all really bad jokes and stories." he seemed to be getting angrier by the minute.

"I'm sorry," she said in dismay. "I was just trying to revitalize something beautiful we once had." Mugen looked over his shoulder at her. Her head was hung low and she really looked depressed. "I also just wanted to pay you back for sticking with me," she said sadly placing a hand on her forehead, she was breaking down inside. Mugen's hand reached over to her and patted her on the shoulder in an attempt to help comfort her. He placed the tray that had separated them on the bench and inched closer to her. He rubbed her back gently and caringly. Amazingly he was embracing her and acting like he cared about her feelings, he really had changed over the years. Words were not going to help her feel any better, for a few minutes they just sat in silence. Abruptly he felt something snap within his being. A new emotion was rising; it was familiar but new none the less. Maybe it was worth checking out. That man was mysterious but in some ways he seemed like his words were valid. Mugen often did want to know more about his existence. He had many questions that bounced off the walls of his head on many occasion, but he could never find any answers to them. There was also the speculation that that foreign man was offering him a job as a body guard or a mercenary that was centered on protecting merchant ships that sailed back and forth to Japan and the Ryu Kyus. He didn't have much of anything going on for him at the moment, in many ways it started to seem like a good plan. There was the possibility that his father passed away and left something for him behind, it was hard to believe but it was possible. There were many possible reasons and theories, but he wasn't going to find them sitting where he sat. Mugen took a deep breath and thought about what he wanted to say to her. After giving some intense thought he spoke to her.

"Well, we were always gamblers you and I." Fuu caught onto his words and looked up at him. "And I guess we'll never truly know until we take a chance and roll with the dice," his voice was more sincere and powerful than ever. Fuu felt emotions of bliss; excitement, promise, and accomplishment explode within her all at once. She didn't know what it was that influenced his decision, but she didn't really care at all. With out words or screams she threw her arms around his waist and hugged him as hard as she could. However; Mugen was all in on this hugging thing. Aside from his back still killing with pain, he didn't really respond to them all that well. He forced himself to smile lightly and placed a strong but gentle hand on her back. Then she told him to wait where he sat, and that she would be back shortly. As Fuu walked away from her sitting comrade she smiled brilliantly and held her head high. They were going on another adventure again, and it was going to be real blast.

The first place she went to was the allowance hut. That wasn't the official name of the building but that is what all the volunteers called it. The many wealthy officials who were employed with the Shogunate would send money to Mr. Ryoko's healing grounds for his volunteers to spend in their leisurely time. It was great for these affluent individuals because it was a tax write off for them, and it showed that they were helping the government in some way. She had managed to save over a hundred pieces of silver monme. Generally she was a big spender, but for some reason she had always envisioned a particular time frame where a lot of money would come in handy. One of her notions was going on another huge adventure like she did with Jin and Mugen. As she stepped outside the small humble building she noticed a person she certainly didn't expect to run into. It was Keen. He was leaning against the side of the structure arms folded and foot crossed behind the other in a relaxed manner. Under his broad hat a smile came across his face, and his closed eyes opened and traveled over to Fuu.

"You managed to save some dough huh, now I've seen everything," he said with a grin.

"Hey! I always kept a little bit to the side for some kind of event or emergency." Keen continued to grin and nod quietly.

"Well, don't spend it all in one place, unless if you think it is really, really worth it," he remarked stepping away from the structure with his hands in his pockets.

"Oh I definitely won't," Fuu said and started to walk towards the main path of the healing grounds. Like Mugen, Keen had some catchy remarks and she could always or at least most of the time predict his sarcastic persona from a mile away. However; the next thing he said she would have never predicted in a million years.

"Don't forget your commitment," he said coolly and collectedly. His words ripped through the air as she walked away from him. Fuu stopped dead in her tracks and listened to those words cross her mind deeply. She could feel the wind blow across her face and through out the area around her. It seemed almost as if time itself froze like ice. Calmly she took a deep breath and then came out with the best response she could form.

"I'm not doing this because I'm being selfish. I am paying someone back for their commitment to me," she said in a stern voice full of concrete confidence. She remained put for a few minutes longer with her back to him and his back to her. Then she heard him yawn surprisingly.

"Well then, I hope your choice is a good one," he said and then walked away silently. For a few moments she was puzzled by this sudden and strange encounter with Keen and then she continued on with her errands.

The next big thing she had to do was speak with Mr. Ryoko about her leaving. She met him inside one of the temples on a large green hill. He sat on the floor of a large balcony that overlooked the entire grounds of his facility. When Fuu came to speak with him she assumed that he was trapped in mediation, or another dimension. As she Turned away from where he sat he spoke out to her.

"What brings you here?" he asked her in his usual articulate and monotone voice.

"Oh. A lot of things," Fuu answered. Mr. Ryoko turned himself around on the floor and faced her proudly. She also sat down on a couple of pillows and crossed her legs. Meditation and this temple weren't things she was really interested in, but right now she had to speak to him. Fuu explained everthing, about what had happened last night, and what kind of adventures she had embarked on with Mugen. Mr. Ryoko sat still and listened intently like a dormant old viper. Oddly, he smiled from time to time when he heard about some of the more funny and lighthearted moments Mugen, Jin, and Fuu spent together. There were times when he blessed her and her friends for being stronger and that they were okay when they had escaped danger and came extremely close to death itself. After elucidating herself thoroughly, Mr. Ryoko understood her predicament.

"I see it clearer than crystal. It was very noble of him to sacrifice a segment of his life to help complete a facet of yours. Now you wish to return the favor, also quite noble. Under these circumstances I see no problem in what you desire to seek. Your heart is more truthful then any person on this planet." His words of wisdom were always very sincere and powerful. "Take this," he said handing her a scroll. Fuu stood up off the floor and took the scroll from him.

"What is it?"

"It is a map of the Ushimaka River that runs through this network of mountains and the highlands. It will take you far to the south where I assume your new adventure will begin." Fuu's heart filled with delight and confidence.

"Thank you, oh thank you," she squealed hugging him around the neck. Mr. Ryoko was going to miss her. Nevertheless; he was even happier that she had found something that made her happy. They said their farewells and then Fuu walked through the dim room to the large sliding door. When she left the room and closed the door shut behind her she was greeted within someone she hadn't expected.

There was Mugen sitting on a window sill with his legs crossed sloppily with his hands folded behind his head, with his new sword in its scabbard. He seemed to be starring out into the sky, his face looked relaxed and kind of smug as it always did. There was something about his strange and unique posture that attracted her intensely, and reaped her attention. He looked over at her and eyed her arrogantly. Fuu was snapped back to reality and placed her hands on her hips and looked at him sharply.

"And what are you doing here?!" she snapped.

"Shouldn't I be askin you that question?" he retorted in a smug tone.

"I thought I told you to wait right by that building."

"Yeah," Mugen said jumping down from the window sill. "And you took to frickin long. So who the hell is in there?" Mugen asked cleaning out one of his ears with his finger. Fuu rolled her eyes at him and looked at the ground. Mugen felt a quick stab of slight ignominy. He always felt this way when ever he noticed he got the best of her or hurt her feelings.

"The man who you should go thank," Fuu snarled glaring at the red carpeted floor of the temple.

"And why would I hop on that road?" he inquired raising an eyebrow.

"Because if it weren't for him none of this," she said raising her arms and her head. "Would even be here!" Mugen looked away from her angrily. For once the little broad was right about something, and like always he didn't want to admit it. He looked up at the ceiling and sighed with a snort, then he started to walk by her. "Now where are you going?!" Mugen snorted at her in retaliation.

"Hey, once in a while I've gotta thank the man," he spoke leaning against the sliding door that lead to Mr. Ryoko's meditation chamber. Once again Fuu felt that feeling of shock and happiness rip through out her body like a lightning bolt cleaving the clouds of a dark sky. He actually wanted to thank somebody. _Whoa! He wants to actually admit he was fortunate, and wants to thank someone all in one day! Am I dreamin, because that would be the only good explanation for all this! _Even though Mugen's acts were just she thought differently about his Samaritan gesture.

"Don't bother," she spoke in a calm voice. Mugen looked over his shoulder at her and then back at the door.

"Why the heck not?!" Fuu took a deep and controlled breath before she tried to explain the mind set of her sensei.

"Because he doesn't believe the people he helps can express how they feel about his great nature with words. They will thank him by the good karma that they produce into this confusing, crowded, and dismal world." It wasn't the most accurate description, but it was the best to her ability.

"Damn!" Mugen responded. "Man this guy really is a whack-job! Thanks for the warning," he said leaning away from the door. A bright smirk came across Fuu's face and she shook her head lightly. Maybe he hadn't changed all that much.

After packing a few things Fuu and Mugen walked down to the boat house. The boat house was small, and it only housed a few rickety vessels. There was man with a broad hat that looked over the small run down structure and he assisted people who needed to borrow them. Mugen sat down on a bench and waited impatiently for Fuu to work things out with the boat house manager. He heard a few sharp words and sentences fly from her mouth, and then she started jogging up the small dirt path to where he sat. He loved the way she ran, there was something about her graceful and ditsy strides that made him remember a girl he once fancied a long time ago. When she got up to him she was gasping and seemed like she was going to collapse.

"He said there are few boats, and they wont spare any of the decent ones,"

"Ohh," Mugen responded in an unenthusiastic voice.

"However, there is this beaten up one nobody really uses, he said it would be cool if we snagged it." Mugen sat up from where he sat and stretched his arms and cracked his back.

"Well shitty equipment never discouraged us before," he said cockily walking straight past her. Quickly she folded behind him. When Mugen got down to the dock he looked around for their new ship of destiny. _Oh, so they meant that POS _he said looking over at the far end of the dock. Rocking up and down with the gentle waves from the rivers temperate current the boat looked like it was older than Mugen and Fuu combined. It was a dark brown color and it had cracks and chunks missing from its bow and stern. Mugen was almost afraid to sit in it. Fuu walked up beside him and starred at it with disgust too.

"Okay, I've seen war torn and raided Chinese junks in better shape then that. I'd rather jump on a piece of frickin drift wood!" He said pointing at the busted boat. Fuu nodded with agreement, she really didn't want to use it either. Nevertheless; it was all that had been given to them, and they had to make do with what they had.

"Don't tell me you two actually even conceived the thought of considering such an abomination," a voice sounded from behind them. They both spun around to see who it was and it was none other than Matchiko. He was dressed in a black robe and had his long and unusual blondish hair constricted into a lengthy pony tail that ran down his back like a waterfall of gold. He smiled at them with a look of over-confidence and glee in his dark eyes.

"Hey man, this is all we got for right now, you have any better alternatives or something?" Mugen retorted in a frustrated voice.

"Yes actually I do," he said pointing past them. Mugen and Fuu looked back at the wide river and they saw a huge beautiful dark canoe outlined with a metal that gleamed like gold. It wasn't just an object used for transportation but a work of true art. Even its black oars were outlined with that golden looking metal, and had yin-yangs emblems gleaming in the center of the oars ends. This water craft had obviosouly been desighned for cosmetic appeal and making small trips for aristocrats who visited the healing grounds. Fuu gazed back at Matchiko with wide eyes infested with shock and amazement.

"Do you really mean?" she asked with a tint of disbelief in her voice. Matchiko did not answer her with words, he only smiled and nodded. "Oh my gosh, did Mr. Ryoko really okay all this himself?"

"That he did, he knew that you would need more than just a crumpled piece of paper to get things started," Matchiko explicated coolly. Fuu could feel a watery tear form in her left eye. Like a child running to their long lost parents she hugged Matchiko around the waist and clutched him tightly. He wrapped his arms around her and tenderly patted and caressed her back. Mugen watched carefully with envy written all over his face folding his arms. Matchiko's eyes traveled up from Fuu's head and pierced Mugen. For some reason he winked at the jealous looking young man. "Take care of your self," he whispered softly into her delicate ear. "Even though I get kind of a bad vibe from this guy, I have a real gut feeling that he is going to protect you with his life," he also whispered. Fuu brought her lips up to his ear.

"As always thank you. You have no idea how much of a help you have been to me all these years. And he certainly will," she whispered in his ear tenderly. A wide grin came across his face. They released and withdrew from each other and went their separate ways. Within minutes Fuu and Mugen boarded their new canoe and set out down the Ushimaka River.

They couldn't have had a better day to set out for a great journey. The sun was shining with all its might and the wind caressed and mingled with the river creating a tranquil current. The long imperial canoe felt more like a Spanish Galleon rather than a small water craft. It glided effortlessly across the shimmering and vibrant waters like a bird soaring through the sky. However, the passengers of the small vessel weren't having the best of happy trails. Fuu almost got the both of them lost twice, reading the map upside down doesn't always help, and noir does assuming what is the right path or turn. Fuu also noticed that Mugen was acting kind of strange and seemed to be paying more attention to detail, than he normally does.

Fuu sat at the back of the canoe and Mugen sat in the center rowing with both oars. He didn't have to use a lot of effort since he was receiving a great deal of assistance from both the wind and the current of the placid river. Fuu looked at the map carefully; they didn't have a whole lot longer till they got to the heart of the Ushimaka. Mugen took a long drink from his wooden flask and then looked off to his left.

"Sweeet!" he said in an odd voice. Fuu looked off in the direction he was pointing in and saw what he saw. It was a large log with a turtle stationed on top of it motionless. Standing on its shell was a colorful red cardinal. The bird was certainly a male, because of its bright red coat and the fact that it was twitching its head in all directions.

_Bet he's looking for a mate! _Fuu thought. With that notion she smiled warmly. Glancing over at Mugen who was steering the ship made her heart fill with glee and completeness. _I'm glad I found mine. __**Bnk! **_Something scrapped beneath the canoe.

"Mugen did we just run over a rock or something hard?"

"I have no idea, why don't you ask the canoe instead," he said clearing his throat. Was he sick? His remarks were snappy as usual but had a different ring to them.

"Just be more careful," she insisted looking back at her map.

"I-I captin!" Mugen said raising his hand to his forehead, emulating a soldier saluting his commanding officer. Fuu rolled her eyes and shook her head a little bit at him.

"Mugen what am I gonna do with you?" she said under her breath.

"Get me drunk. I really need some sake right about now," he said with a belch.

"He can hear me," she whispered in disbelief.

"Heard that one too pesky broad." Fuu was amazed at his acute hearing. Glancing at her map she saw that the river was going to start branching off into a variety of sub- rivers that pooled into different lakes and connected with other lesser rivers. The network of waterways greatly resembled the veins of a humans arm. They were on the Toaku River and it hitched up with the Ushimaka River to the south.

"Alright Mugen you want to bang a right when we get to the fork in this river," she instructed pointing off in that direction. "It's going to be coming up very soon."

"Uhhhh. I don't wanna bang that, I wanna bang a gorgeous geisha!" Fuu looked over her shoulder and narrowed her eyebrows. "What direction do you think I swing in?" he said spreading his arms out and almost snickering.

"Do what I told ya," she snapped looking back at her map. Once they reached the Ushimaka River it would be easy to go where ever they wanted. It was a large river that ran through northern Honshu and it connected with many different towns. Situating her self on the floor of the canoe she felt all her senses come to a rest. She placed the map over her face and closed her eyes. The evening was approaching and things seemed to be slowing down at a docile tempo. The sounds of the river coalescing with the birds singing and chirping created a soothing and relaxing ballad that surpassed anything she had heard from humans. Except for maybe a few songs Sara sang, they were really beautiful. She felt something scrape under the boat again, this time it was smoother and didn't sound as damaging. Nevertheless; it bothered her. She threw the map off of her face and looked at Mugen with angry eyes. In the corner of one of them she saw a large, gray, stone, Buddha statute sitting on top of a small wooden platform. It had moss growing on one of its crossed feet. Moss! That word stuck out in her mind.

_Moss! Moss! Moss! Where and when do I remember hearing about that stuff? _She knew that someone had associated that stuff with something negative. Then it hit her!

"Mugen. What direction did you steer us in?"

"The direction you pointed, don't tell me you're second guessin your self again?" he asked picking up his flask. The giant Buddha was on the left side of where the river came to a fork.

_Did I read the map upside down again?_ She thought picking up the map. This she was right on the money, the map wasn't upside down.

"I think you need to chill," Mugen said swinging around to face her completely. Gazing up from the map she now noticed what kind of a mistake she made. When she pointed in the direction and said go right, she really meant his right. They were facing in opposite directions, so therefore had different perceptions of the two directions.

"I said go right?" Fuu inquired.

"Johnny tell her what she's won!" Mugen said raising his flask high into the air. Fuu stared at his container of fluids carefully.

"Mugen? What do you have in that thing?" she inquired carefully.

"None of your business that's what," he said dumping more of the drink down his throat. Cascading down like a waterfall the stuff he drank glistened in the setting sun light. It was a clearish color; she leaned closer to him, now almost touching the fabrics of his red jacket. She caught a whiff of his breathe and she instantly knew what he had been chugging.

"Mugen!" she growled. He ignored her though. "Don't tell me you forgot what happened last time we almost got capsized in the marsh lands."

"What's up?" Mugen asked looking down at her.

"We had just barley escaped from those bastards sent by that sleazy magistrate. The guy who wanted to execute you," she said batting her eyes in frustration.

"I remember that nasty fat brotha, but can't recall crashing in the bogs though," he said leaning on the side of the boat.

_Of course not! You were so freakin drunk! _Fuu thought clenching her teeth. Mugen had been guzzling what smelled like lemon sake, it was rare and she was starting to also think he got it at Mr. Ryoko's healing grounds. How he got it truly surpassed her imagination.

"Ya hear that," Mugen said now laying down on the floor of the canoe. Fuu looked up from him and saw several large rocks with white water smashing and bubbling all around them. "That's cool shit ain't it!" he said sitting up right.

_He's cursing aimlessly again, he really is smashed! _Fuu thought angrily and full of fear in her pulsing heart.

"Grab an oar and lets get this bitch!" Mugen said placing both hands on the left oar of the canoe.

"What! Are you out of what you have of a mind?!" Fuu snapped.

"Ah, never slowed me down before," he responded collectedly with a staggered shrug. Fuu sat next to him and grabbed the right oar, she had no idea what she was about to do.

"What am I suppose to do?!" she asked shaking like an addict going through a heroin withdrawal.

"Just steer your side away from the rocks that's all there is to this song!" Mugen roared enthusiastically and happily. His facial idiom bared a great resemblance to a ravenous and antagonistic wolf ready to go for the exhilarating kill of the night. He loved challenges and forces that seemed to be of the juggernaut magnitude. It had been some time since he had endured such a swashbuckling hurdle.

_Yeah. That's just about all there is to it, and a whole hell of a lot of opportunities to do die. _Fuu hated when these dangerous and fanatical predicaments just raised out of the air or in this case the river. She closed her eyes and thought to herself deeply, she could survive this it was just going to be tough. Fuu took a deep breath and felt the power of confidence and self assurance flow through her.

"Don't do that you dumb broad! How are you gonna watch out for those!" Mugen laughed pointing passed her face. Fuu's eyes popped open and she saw to her right there was a huge rock that resembled a tiny mountain protruding out of the river. She squealed out of instinct with fear stabbing her soul. Mugen quickly plunged his oar into the raging waters and stuck it into the sand beneath them. Straining both his arms and his back he pulled the boat away from the huge stone. Fuu came almost inches from being clipped. Now they were headed towards another cluster of builders, it was almost directly in front of the bow of the ship. "You turn," Mugen winked. With all her strength she shoved her oar down into the water and redirected the course of the ship. "Not bad," he laughed. Fuu smiled. "Let's just see how well you do in the big leagues." Fuu broke his glance and starred straight on ahead in horror. There was a great cluster of rocks scattered across the raging river.

"And this day was going so goooood," she whimpered. Maneuvering between these strewn gigantic rocks wasn't going to be a stroll at the park. Fuu and Mugen took turns pushing off stones and struggled to keep the boat on course. Mugen however looked like he was having the time of his life. Fuu was a terrible, disgruntled, and heaving mess. Pushing off between two rocks Fuu's oar snapped in half and she fell to the floor of the canoe. When her body hit the floor the water craft started to loose balance and it started to lean towards a large rock. Mugen saw the huge stone in the corner of his eye. Keeping one leg planted in the canoe and the other kicked the rock they were about to collide with rock. The force from his kick swayed the boat away from the rock and almost sent them straight into another bolder. Using his oar like a lance he steered the boat away from the monstrous stone.

"Not to shabby?" Mugen grinned. Fuu wanted to stick her tongue out at him but instead she just made a childish face at him. Fuu crawled up to her knees and leaned over the side of the dark canoe like a sailor sick at sea. Something caught her ear, it sounded like water rushing, but not the kind that they had been hearing. It sounded more like water, but it sounded more like it was falling through space and then crashing somewhere quite far away. Looking over her left shoulder she saw what she heard. It was the edge of a large waterfall, and it seconds they were going to be sailing straight down it.

"Now there's the top dog" Mugen said in.

"Lord have mercy," she said putting her hands together tightly kneeling down on the floor.

"Lord give me your best fucking shot!" Mugen roared spreading his arms high and wide. Fortunately he remembered not to stand up though. Fuu kept her elbows tight against her rib cage and prepared to jump if she had to. They weren't close enough to the river bank to bail out, and there weren't any tree limbs to snag. Fuu or Mugen also didn't want to loose their supplies or their handsome canoe. Mugen couldn't sit still he was just so full of energy and ambition; this was all one big duel between him and nature. They were almost at the edge of the waterfall now, and they could both feel the bow of the canoe glide into the air. Abruptly gravity kicked right in and pulled the nose of the canoe downward sadistically. Fuu held on with all her might tightly to the sides of the canoe, she could feel her soul fade through out her being. Mugen interlocked both of his feet under one of the boards that they sat on that ran inside the canoe. He shot one strong fist into the air and the other clutched an oar tightly.

"Were gonna die!" screamed Fuu tears gliding off her face and mixing with the water showering behind her.

"Cowabunga!" Mugen screamed. While Fuu felt like she was about to spend her last few seconds on Earth, Mugen was literally on a rollercoaster ride of his life. All sound was drowned out by the crushing roars of the waterfall. Billions of water droplets flew through the air and splattered on their backs and against there cheeks. They were only soaring through the air and down the cascade for less than a minute, but in their minds it felt like time itself was starting to slow down. The canoe landed flat on the waters below with a loud sharp slap. Nevertheless; Fuu and Mugen didn't fare all to well.

Fuu's hands slipped and she went tumbling downward and crashed in the waters below. Mugen just released his feet and flipped forward through the air and in the radiant light of the beautiful twilight sky. With both his hands stretched out in front of him he literally glided down to the water and landed a perfect belly flop. Fuu was spiraling downward like a drill about to carve a block of wood. Despite her low weight she also made a killer splash. When she plunged into the deep, cool, composed, and dark waters below she felt herself drift into a state of pure inertia. She opened her eyes and looked upwards as she descended to the bottom of the lake. Above there was a small circle of light glowing endlessly and relentlessly in the dark waters. Looking over to her right she could see the activity of the water from the cascade crashing on the surface of the lake. Everything was slipping into slow motion; it felt like she was trapped in a dream. Composing a thought even seemed impossible in this world. There was only one word that stuck out in her baffled confused mine. Suddenly, she felt a pair of strong arms wrap around her waist

_Mugen! _She thought weakly. When her body made impact on the water she felt most of her energy diminish, and her body became frail and weak. Powerfully he kicked and kicked. Fuu was still a bit dazed from the impact but she attempted to kick with both her feet.

_**Splushsh! **_Mugen broke through the waters and threw his hair back. His long wavy split ends had been dampened and now clung to his neck and ears. Fuu's head rested back against his chest and she inhaled and exhaled sharply. Her aching eyes opened and looked deep into Mugen's. He had a huge grin and looked like the way he did he saved her from those insane people that kidnapped her and tied her up in that church.

"Wha! What happened?" she asked calmly.

"I don't think you need to worry about that just now," Mugen remarked.

_**Was that a close call or what?! **_

_**During the part when they are going down the raging river and are avoiding bolders you should play a good speed-metal song. Something like Anthrax "caught in the mosh" or a fast classic rock tune like ZZ Top's "Got Me Under Pressure" **_

_**Now the cards are in place and the real action is about to begin! **_


	4. Raiding Renegades

_Midnight Miscreant _

_This was the first half of the chapter/episode Raiding Renegades. I figured if I broke it down it would be a bit easier to read and reflect as well as review :) for most audiences. _

_It's the night after the crash at the waterfall! And we see some new talents of Mugen's! One of them happening to be his unorthodox spear fishing skills! _

_Enjoy! _

The twilight had ended and it was replaced with the mystifying and calm dark night. The stars were gleaming in the stunning azure sky, and the fire flies flickered with verve and vigor. Many creatures were taking refuge in the darkness and were winding down their busy lives for the nightfall. The lake shimmered with the beautiful rays of the insipid vibrant moon. The canoe slowly rocked upwards and down softly and slowly with the gentle waters caressing its sides and bottom. Towards the stern of the ship there was an iron anchor hidden beneath the floor boards of the canoe. Mugen tied it around a tree on the small beach and buried it deep within the sand. It was wide enough for them both to lye down in it comfortably, however, sleep still seemed a bit far off to both of them.

Mugen threw his crimson jacket off his shoulders and shook all over like a spirited canine out of water. The air was gradually getting colder and colder, and wearing wet clothing was one big ticket to catching a cold. He sat down on a large log and kicked off his moccasins. Picking the sand out between his callused toes he saw Fuu rise back to her feet. She had discarded her deep pink kimono, and was wearing a much skimpier outfit. Hugging her chest was a white strapless bra and a pair of white undergarments. _**Crimp! Crump! Crimp!**_ Even with poor lighting he could still know what direction she was coming from with her little sandals crunching against the ground. He placed a hand to his chin and began to eye her figure in a much keener manner. Her long slender legs were really sexy, and they vaguely evoked feelings of lust. They were defiantly not the thin rolls of flesh he remembered sometime back in the days they traveled the country side. The lines of her stomach were narrow and smooth; he could depict almost every detail in this dark moon light. She walked right over to him; his eyes did not leave her for even a second. Fuu's feet stepped over rocks and sticks elegantly. Even out in the middle of no where she didn't want to make noise that seemed unnecessary.

_Well for once she seems to know how noisy she can be, that's a good thing _Mugen thought with a sinister grin. Her body moved with the rhythm of the sounds of the crickets and the gentle gusts of wind that would occasionally sweep through out the canopy and brush across their faces. Mugen for once felt attracted to her physically, and some kind of emotion was rising like a flower sprouting up from the soil of the Earth. He didn't know if it was passion and instinct coalescing inside his heart, or was his love for her evolving into something new. There was also the theory that he himself was altering drastically, and his perceptions of people and the world were starting to change. At this moment he didn't really care all that much, he just knew that he was happy to be with her all of a sudden. As she walked by him one of his hands shot up from his side and snagged her thin and soft wrist like a viper catching a beleaguered and careworn mouse. Her sweet and fretful light chocolate eyes gazed down at him.

_What does he want? _There was something odd about the way he grabbed her. He had a strong pair of hands but they were always gentle when it came to handling her. Well, most of the time he handled her with great care. There were times when Fuu wondered if he even cared about her when he snagged her body aggressively. Then the ex-buccaneer began to roll his thumb along her wrist. He rolled and pressed it against her soft skin in an upward and downward motion gracefully and intimately. She instantly felt that he wanted something legitimate from her, and she knew all to well what that was. However; a good part of her wanted to give in to him for some reason. Resistance seemed futile to her heart, but her mind thought differently. This kind of behavior seemed almost alien for Mugen. While he seemed kind of girl-crazy at times, he was never romantic or sexually fired up around her. Although, he always good hands when it came to influencing and seducing girls, but tonight he was at the top of his game.

Gently and warmly he started to roll his thumb in a circular motion around her artery and system of veins in her wrist. She could feel her blood flow at an extremely vigorous pace, and her hearts beat began to work like an AK-47 on full power. Words of opposition began to emerge and blaze within her mind, but her body and soul felt like she was being pulled down into something dark and adoring. Mugen's dark smirk parted into a white and searing smile. Fuu couldn't utter a word.

"Now I know why I didn't recognize you at first," he said in a very low and cool voice. Fuu blinked confoundedly. "Not only have you grown up as a person, but you've changed in a big way, and I'm not foolin," he spoke dissecting her with his sharp eyes. Her soft whitish skin seamed to glow in the pale moon light. It looked almost as if a slight blue hue outlined her body radiantly. She for once in her life didn't have a response for him. She breathed heavily and looked away from him.

"Thanks," she spoke in a low soft voice. However; when she tried to pull away from him she could feel him tighten his grip.

"Why won't you talk to me?" he asked this time sounding a little bit more staid.

"Because you're drunk," she remarked turning her head to meet his powerful gaze.

"Tch! Where did that frickin thing come from? I've been sober as a shogun soldier for almost an hour now. I thought you remembered how quick I can kick a good buzz to the curb." When she said that he was drunk she was really referring to what had happened earlier when they were crashing down that cascade. Nevertheless; he was also the fellow that saved her life from the darkness of that immense lake they fell through.

"I thought you were my companion?" his voice was starting to take a more sinister tone.

"I am, and you are mine as well. Its just comrades don't always agree," she attempted to explain.

"No they don't!" he retorted heatedly.

"See you're disagreeing with me right now!" she said shaking her head, her long pretty bangs and hair piece swayed gracefully with her motions. Mugen smirked at her again and eyed her in an evil way.

"Oh, aren't you a cunning little bitch," he spoke quietly. With out even the slightest of warnings his other hand flew up from his side and snagged one of her hips. Pulling her down to his lap her butt landed right on one of his thighs. His hands were warm and powerful, and they were traveling and caressing her slim and mostly exposed figure quickly and almost forcefully. This made things even harder for her to oppose him.

_Oh great! He's in the mode! In the mode! Maybe I should have just left my drenched clothing on. _The air was hot and Mugen was making things heat up at a feverish pace. Strangely, Fuu didn't just hate what he was doing she actually enjoyed it too. He was good at what he was doing, and there was no doubt about it. Rubbing up and down the side of her naked rib cage his hands made her feel like she was blazing with fire. Blood pumped all through out her being, sweat started to crawl and trickle down her neck and spine like rain drops traveling down a window. Suddenly she felt a pair of his fingers glide up her back. Fuu was dying with ecstasy. Gradually his finger tips and then his whole hand passed between her bra and the bare skin of her back. Fuu had the hardest time predicting what he was going to do next. It didn't matter though because she was locked in a forced heaven on Earth. Now his traveling hands were up to her hair piece. Skillfully his index and middle finger curled and wrapped her hair in small threads. Fuu had always loved the idea of having Mugen play with her hair, its just she never contemplated the day it would happen. With gentle force he clutched her little beaded chop-sticks and slid them out quickly with a flick of his strong wrist. Her brown and silky hair fell down to her shoulders in a large heap.

"Now that's better," Mugen declared in a whispering and seductive voice. Then he placed her hair pins on the log beside him. He returned his hand back to her scalp and began to run his fingers through her sleek and malleable hair. His strong small appendages were as elegant and soothing as dolphins passing through the tranquil ocean. While her body may have found them to be amazing and intimate, her mind found them to be more like snakes slithering and shifting through sand. Desperately the girl wanted to get a few words in, but she was intoxicated and wrapped up with emotions of bliss and bewilderment. Tenderly Mugen's seductive and coarse hands began to slide down and up the back of her neck and caressed her ear lobes. They kneaded her sensitive body parts like the hands of a masterful masseuse nurturing someone of the exalted aristocracy. Her ears weren't just acute when it came to catching sound; if touched correctly they could trigger a sexual chain reaction through out her being. She never told her boyfriends that was a region that brought her most aggressive and horny emotions straight out of her. Adrenaline and other impassioned fluids began to impel and flow through her pulsing body with great impetus. She had waited for this moment for her and Mugen to take new steps together, but something seemed erroneous. It didn't matter what she thought both her body and Mugen's were fastened together in an endless rhythmic cadence of sensuality and lust. Humid and thick air surged into her, and brackish sweat poured out of her. Mugen was also starting to sweat with passion, and the pace of his breathing began to quicken harshly. He was closing in for the kill. His left hand started to make its way down her chest; he extended his index finger and started to caress her sternum and edges of her breasts in an elegant circle. While his right hand rubbed her right thigh and caressed her thin hips gently and affectionately.

"Mugen," she whispered in an anemic voice. Disturbed by her interrupting voice he placed his left hand on her cheek and tilted her head upwards for her to face the stars. Her eyes were closed and her mouth was moving in a very odd manner. Like a steel cage she would clinch her teeth, and then her lips would come together and would roll around. Mugen at first really didn't know what to make of her bizarre facial expressions; he starred at her with a blank expression on his face as she bit on her lower lip. Then she spoke in a very confusing and discombobulated manner.

"Its, its not that. I, find. Hard kind of, sort of, indecisive." She was making no sense what's so ever. Mugen closed his eyes and remained quiet for a few seconds and then reopened them. His right hand started to grip her hip bone with a sadistic rigidity. Then he brought her ear up to his teeth.

"I still don't agree with you," he whispered softly. His voice shot shivers sharply down her spine. "But if you disagree with me, that's just fine," he spoke sternly. Then he picked her up off his lap and shoved her back down on the log. With out any words of cockiness, or _**yeah-so-what **_he walked away from her with his back turned. The only thing she heard from him as he walked over to their dark canoe was his feet moving across the grass and then through the sand. He walked through the small crashing waves on the beach shore of the lake and climbed into the canoe. With a grunt of nuisance he laid down on his side and closed his sharp eyes.

_Wha! What just happened?!_ Fuu thought confoundedly. She gazed over at the canoe and tried to picture him striding away from her silently and sternly. _Oh god!_ Placing a hand on her forehead she did her best job to try and refigure what had happened and what to do next. In many ways the anxiety plagued girl was bemused, agitated, and even a little livid. Nonetheless; it was hard for her to define what actually was making her so angry. She was kind of mad at Mugen, herself, and even at the world somewhat. Inside she felt like screaming, and roaring, and gnashing her teeth with not just rage and confusion, but with just her inability to understand the situation itself. A few wet tears that gleamed vibrantly in the brilliant moon and star light trailed down her cheeks. She was always much more emotional than Mugen, and sometimes she even cursed her strong sense of ambiance. However; her emotional nature was also one of her greatest attributes. Gazing back over at the canoe she felt another stab of guilt and sorrow. _He must think that I love trailing him along, and that I hate him. _Standing up straight from where she had been sitting on the gigantic Fuu started to walk over to the canoe. Less than an hour ago she felt kind of cold only wearing her bra top and a pair of panty shorts, even though it was a lot more effective than wearing all that drenched clothing. Now her skin temperature felt like it quadrupled. _**Splish! Splish! Splush! Splish! **_The water was surprisingly warm for the current temperature. There was a good chance that it was just her perception of everything that was around her now that Mugen had erotically stimulated her senses. When she came over to the canoe she saw her companion rolled over on his side. Quietly his rib cage rose and then lolled tranquilly. While he may have appeared at peace with the world she knew all too well how he felt inside. Vigilantly she crawled in with him and laid down on her side next to him. Her left hand caressed his elbow and shoulder. Mugen did not retaliate in any kind of conduct. She gently patted him on the back and rubbed his arm warmly. With a deep sigh the girl turned away from him and rolled over on her left side and closed her eyes. Abruptly she heard the soft noises of Mugen rolling his body over. He placed his chin on her brittle small shoulder and ran his hand across her bare stomach and hips gently and affectionately.

"It's alright," he whispered into her ear. "Don't let anything rob you of your sleep tonight. Not even me," he also whispered with a grin. Fuu also smiled and felt all that was terrible and uneasy within her collapse and subside out of her troubled mind. Once again it felt like he was the only one who could make her happy. Her eyes closed slowly and soon the tranquil hands of sleep claimed her.

Both of them awoke the next morning from the powerful rays of the early sun. They both got dressed and prepared breakfast. Mugen got a fire roasting and they made some green tea. Fuu had packed some pieces of sweet bread and fortunately they hadn't gone flying out of their vessel when they went crashing down that waterfall. Mugen wasn't really in the mood for sweet bread, so he decided to go spear fishing instead. From the large pile of sticks he gathered for their morning fire he pulled out the longest and thinnest one. With his trusty old dagger he started to sharpen one of its twiggy ends to a very fine point. He smiled with delight at his handy work.

"What are you doing?" Fuu questioned looking over at her companion. He was sitting in the sandy soil and was practicing the motion of throwing his great tool.

"I'm gonna get me some decent breakfast, just you watch!" he retorted getting up from where he sat.

"That's not going to work," Fuu said with a grin

"Yeah, you've also said that about a lot of other things that I flipped in my favor," Mugen spoke in a boastful and haughty voice. Fuu smirked and narrowed her eye brows at him.

_Oh, you don't tell me about flipping anything in your favor _she thought with a giggle. In some ways she still felt bad about letting that coin determine their destinies and then answering them deceitfully. However; things all panned out very nicely in the end for all of them. _I wonder how Jin is doing. _Looking at a small navy blue newt crawling across the ground gracefully and steadily made her think of the regal ronin she once knew. The small creature moved its body from side to side with the pattern of its steps. While it may have been a small and fragile creature, there was something very elegant and eloquent about it.

"Hey! Damn it! Stand still! I don't wanna repeat myself!" Fuu looked up from where she had been glancing and saw Mugen hilariously standing at the pinnacle of a large gray boulder by the edge of the waters shallows. He held his crude spear high over his head and then launched it into the waters below him. After throwing his fish javelin he peered down into the small rippling waves caused by his attempt to claim some breakfast. Then with a hefty jerk he yanked his spear out of the water. Agitatedly he snarled at what was at the end of his spear, it was a heap of fresh water plants and a zebra clam.

Fuu grinned and snickered at him placing a hand over her mouth. She loved to watch him fish; that was one thing he didn't do to well. He told her some time ago when he was out in the oceans east of the Ryu Kyus he would go whaling with Portuguese and French sailors. _I guess he's not all that used to taking out smaller targets. _Hopping around and constantly facing different sides of the giant rock he resembled a huge crab or bug trying to fend off its territory_. Hard to believe that insane, vulgar, swashbuckling, rugged, adventurer is truly a splendid man beneath all of those shells. _

"Try not moving around so much, or so frantically!" she called out to him.

"Hey butt out! I'm the expert on this one!" he roared back pointing at her.

"Really," Fuu remarked with a smirk trying hard not to burst with laughter. She loved how he got so confident sometimes about what he did. Quietly he stood with his spear high over his head and raised one foot off the stone. Rigidly he stood still as a concrete statue. His eyes were both directed at the tranquil waters. Fuu had never seen him display so much discipline and deliberation ever in her life. A minute ago he reminded her of a fanatical little invertebrate. Now he closely resembled a Zen master. Gradually he breathed in and out in a relaxed manner. Fuu's eyes widened with amazement.

"Kaaaa! Maaaay! Kaaaaawww! Maaaay!" His voice boomed. Fuu looked at him with suspicion. What was he saying, and in what kind of language. Like a skirmisher launching a javelin at a foe Mugen lunged forward and threw his makeshift spear directly into the placid water below. Mugen leaned forward and placed a hand to his forehead to shield his eyes from the sun. Under water he could see something flickering frantically. Then with a snap of his fingers and a vulgar laugh he jumped down from the rock. Fuu walked over to the edge of the lake and smiled at what she saw Mugen had skewered.

There was a fish and two other strange looking creatures from the lake. When Mugen walked on to the beach he pointed over at the pot they used for the green tea. Fuu nodded and walked over to it.

"What are those things?" Fuu asked bringing the pot over to him.

"They're good to eat, that's what they are," he said sticking his spear down in the sand. Fuu wasn't sure what he wanted the pot for. He pulled his kills off the end of his spear and handed her the fish.

"You can have that," he said. Then he placed the two other lake creatures in the small ceramic pot.

"Mugen, what are you doing with those?" she asked almost dropping the fish. He looked up at her and narrowed his eyebrows.

"Damn. Do you have a question for everything?!" he growled. "If ya gotta ask! People call them mudbugs or crayfish; where I am from we call'em craw-daddies.

"Oh," Fuu responded quietly looking down at the fish in her hands. She took a stick from the fire and impaled the fish with it and began roasting it. After Mugen placed the crawfish in the ceramic tea pot he walked back over to the large rock. Less then a half hour he came back and had more fish and crawfish. The little red orange and red lobster-like creatures were small but they were also delicious.

After boiling them in the tea pot they were tasty to eat. Mugen ate at least four of them before he started to nibble on one of his roasting fish. Fuu never seemed to loose her appetite. She snagged a few of his fish and ate them quickly.

"This fish is, uh, interesting," she said nibbling away on one. Mugen who was laying down on his side chomping on a crawfish glared at her with conical and agitated eyes. "But I must say this stuff is a lot better than those weird dumplings we had at that restaurant," she said with a wink. Mugen continued to stare at her. "Oh come on you remember. Remember the town with that mysterious kind of guy they called the street killer."

"No way," Mugen gurgled rolling over on his other shoulder facing away from her. Fuu sharpened her eyebrows. "That was the city where four eyes there fell in love with that chick he wouldn't tell us anything about."

"Are you sure?"

"Positive."

"Why is that?" Fuu inquired crossing her arms.

"Simple, remember how cheap that wasabi soup was."

"Not really," she answered scratching her scalp.

"Of course you don't, because we were all broke when we were in that community," he said sitting upright and smiling at her. Suddenly Fuu felt like a complete idiot. "Why else would have we spent time at Q-balls temple there, and why the hell would we have all broken our backs doing all those freakin chores," Mugen chuckled leaning back on his hands.

Fuu had never felt more stupid. _Of course, we would have found at least a cheap inn if we had money that day. Oh yeah Q-ball that priest dude. That guy was really nice for a former warrior _she thought tossing her fish bones on the ground. _Those chores and responsibilities weren't that bad. _

"This might help get you up to speed," Mugen said handing her up a crawfish. Fuu thought the little lobster-like creatures were gross looking and too bizarre for her tastes.

"No thanks, I have special tastes," she said turning her nose up at his offer.

"Your right about special," Mugen snickered. "Or maybe your just chicken!" he said with a devious smile.

"What gives ya that idea?"

"Well for starters when trouble emerges you run like one, especially like one with its head cut off." Fuu's eyebrows squinted to angry slits. "Moving around aimlessly, crazily, knocking into things, kinda like a drunken bull in a China shop." Suddenly Fuu snatched the crustacean from Mugen's strong hands. Fiercely she bit down on the tail of the crawfish. After chewing on it for a few seconds her eyes started to widen. Mugen nodded and grinned broadly.

"This stuff is amazing," she roared taking another bite. Mugen rolled his eyes at her and took another crawfish from the tea pot. He placed it in the center of a large leaf with a cluster of spices in the center of it. Fuu looked over at him and watched him season his catch. "What's that stuff?"

"A few spices from the place called the Americas, and on the continent," he answered preparing his food.

"Let me try it!" Mugen raised an eyebrow at her. With a smile he snapped off a piece of the creature's tail. Fuu bit down on it fiercely and chewed it to bits. Smiling he took a bite of his seasoned lake critter and observed Fuu's eyes widen again. Except this time her face was turning red like a basket of tomatoes. Vulgarly she spewed out the small piece Mugen gave her and then dashed over to the beach staggering like an inebriated idiot. He couldn't help but laugh stridently at her as she crashed to her hands and knees and repeatedly scooped water into her burning mouth.

"I wanted to tell you it was a special taste, but I also figured you were confident enough to take on anything there terminator!" he yelled over to her laughing hysterically.

"Uuuuhhhh!" Fuu groaned rolling over on her back. She was so exhausted from the fiery permutation of spices and herbs, and from rushing all that water in and out of her mouth she didn't even have the energy to raise her middle finger. _Damn that Mugen!_


	5. Raiding Renegaes Part 2

_**Raiding Renegades **_

_The two buffoons find themselves in a very bizarre village called Tinker Town. However; this strange community is also home to a very prestigious restaurant with kick ass-entertainment, and good drinks and music to boot. In the midst of all this, an entire horde of ingenious but idiotic and irrational punks blow the lid off the joint. Some of them know Mugen from his dark past as a vicious buccaneer. _

_They should really discover counseling! _

A few hours later and after Fuu felt more conscious they got back to their travels. They both jumped into their luxurious canoe and paddled down the lake. Looking back at their map they discovered there was still a way for them to get back to the Ushimaka River. There was a small river that flowed out of the large lake they were on called the Nosaki. It was a sunny day and for once they both managed to enjoy something equally.

Shielding his eyes from the sun he looked up at the sky. Then he looked back down at Fuu. She was sitting down in the front of the canoe and he was standing upright down in the back. Fuu had no clue how he managed to stand up straight and not tumble into the water. Gazing at her thoroughly he smirked at the beautiful vista of the wind softly sieving through her bouncy and beautiful hair. He also thought a little bit about what had happened the previous night. His mind was lucid, but he also felt somewhat confounded by his actions and course of thinking. Fuu had grown up and she was becoming more and more attractive to him. Back in the days of their preceding adventures he wanted to tell her how much he cared about her, its just the opportunity never emerged. Now it was getting harder and seemed irrational for him to keep up the same kind of persona he once displayed around her, and how he treated her sensitive feelings.

"Hey Fuu!" he called from the back of the large dark canoe. She whipped her head around to meet his eyes. "What's the closest village?"

"Why do you ask?" she was also surprised that he actually called her by her name.

"Because the sun is going to start setting soon and we will have to get rest. And we should also stock up on some new supplies." Fuu nodded and looked back to her map. She placed a finger on the map and began to scan it carefully. Following her slender finger she saw that they were coming up close to a village on this sub-river they were traveling on called Tinker Town. "Plus I don't wanna sleep in this damn thing for two freakin nights in a row!" Mugen added scratching his side.

"Uuhh poor baby," she said in a sympathetic but sarcastic and teasing voice. He snarled at her and continued to paddle; he wasn't in the mood for being mocked. "There's this place called Tinker Town were going to be coming up on shortly."

"Cool," Mugen replied in a very unenthusiastic voice. He had been paddling all day and it was going to be nice to get some time to relax. His back felt like it had been used for a punching bag by an expert in boxing. The energy he had built up from breakfast felt like it had already been depleted.

Less than an hour they came to a river dock at Tinker Town. The boat house on the water was unlike anything they had ever seen. It was shaped like a pyramid and was painted a shiny white color. Along its sides it was decorated with sea shells and crystals. To Mugen and Fuu's eyes it looked more like a structure that floated right out of a dream and into the material world as they knew it. In the center of the structure there was a doorway where small and slender looking water crafts floated in and out of.

"Wow, look at that!" Fuu squawked in a surprised voice. "Have you ever seen anything quite that amazing?" Mugen gazed at the bizarre structure with careful eyes. Then he rolled them with a shake of his head.

"Ah, I've seen weirder and better," he said steering the large dark canoe across the glassy waters.

"Is it possible to ever impress or amaze you?" Fuu asked in an agitated voice.

"You're just noticing that now?" he responded with a grin. He grinned at her and steered the canoe over to the strange structure on the dock. When he went to drop its anchor and tie it to part of the board-walk that ran across the water they were greeted by a strange looking middle aged guy in a green and black hoari. The stranger's long wide sleeve shirt and pants had little small crystals attach to them, and also had all these odd looking little buckles that didn't seem to have a purpose other than for looks.

"Greetings new comers," he spoke in a very savvy and refined voice. When he smiled he revealed rows and rows of golden and silver teeth.

"Hi," Fuu responded in a weak and slightly frightened voice. Mugen looked at him charily and raised an eyebrow.

"What's up!" he said with a wave of his hand.

"Oh, a lot of things." There was something about his voice and way of speaking that shot shivers up both of their spines. He was no doubt articulate and well mannered, but his persona just seemed a little strange. Why he was putting on this façade bothered Mugen even more. It was just his nature to be suspicious of those he didn't know to well.

"So what is going on in this place?" Fuu asked stepping out of the large canoe.

"Tinker Town is full of great attractions and people," the man answered.

"I'm sure about that one," Mugen said under his breath stepping out of the canoe with armfuls of their supplies. His response was followed by an elbow to the stomach by Fuu.

"Why don't you let me give you a hand with those," the stranger spoke. Mugen didn't argue with this request. He gladly handed him about half of their things. The strange man walked with them down the dock with his wooden geta pounding against the wooden boards that ran beneath their feet. "So what are you names?" he asked looking over at Fuu.

"My name is Fuu." Her voice was riddled with pride and glee.

"What a pretty name. It sings as sweetly as the wind," he spoke looking off into the docile clouds in the cobalt sky.

"That's right, my name does mean wind. You're pretty smart," Fuu responded with a bright smile that could light a metropolis.

"And what is your name?" the stranger asked making eye contact with Mugen. The ex-pirate didn't like being looked directly in the eye by someone he just met. And one that hasn't earned the credit or respect for such an act of familiarity.

"Name's Mugen," he responded breaking the strangers gaze.

"Such a powerful name that is," the stranger added looking down at the floor boards of the dock. "I assume you must be a young man of limitless passion and strength."

_What the! How the hell did he know that was what my name meant! _Mugen's name literally did mean with out-limit or infinite, and hard to believe this bozo knew that. Maybe this weird guy was a lot smarter than Mugen had predicted. He seemed kind of in his own dimension, but now he seemed more educated by the second.

"So why do they call this place Tinker Town?" Fuu asked. "I haven't heard a lot about this place."

"That's a capitol question. Well for starters as you can see one of our boat houses looks quite unorthodox correct." Fuu and Mugen both nodded. "Well a lot of the people in this village love to experiment with both art and technology. You could sort of say we are a state of the art kind of place," he clarified. "We are always tinkering and trying to discover new things."

"Really!" Fuu gasped.

"Ever come up with anything that is actually useful?" Mugen snorted. If Fuu had not been walking on the opposite end of their new companion she would have stomped his foot for sure. Instead she sharpened her eyebrows and growled under her breathe.

"That's another good question," the stranger answered. "I for one am trying to come up with a device that will turn rocks into gold. I am using some of the formulas from alchemy and blue prints from a very popular Japanese inventor from Edo."

"Far out," Fuu said.

_Hey! This guy would put a lot of people out of business _Mugen thought. _Including me, or should I say me in my old days. _

"Also there are people trying to come up with a device or tactic for communicating with the dead."

"That would be a little too spooky for me," Fuu said with a giggle.

_Well I know a tactic that will let you meet the dead if ya like_ Mugen thought with a smile.

"There are also people that are trying to prove why a tomato is a fruit and not a vegetable," he spoke in a triumphant voice. Both stared at him blankly.

_These people are a bit unique_ Fuu thought trying to force a weak smile.

_Damn! These people are all out to freakin lunch! _Mugen thought shaking his head.

"Well some may seem practical and others aren't, but all are quite vital and essential to our society," the stranger spoke setting their things down on a stone bench at the end of the dock

"Rrrriiiight," Mugen said raising an eyebrow.

"Well than, thank you very much for your help," Fuu said walking in front of Mugen and purposely stepping on his toes.

_Dumb bitch! _Looking off to his left he saw a rickshaw with a man wearing a straw hat jogging with it. He reminded Mugen of a small but admirable ant hauling a huge beetle behind itself. Quickly the rickshaw runner sprinted in front of them and took a seat on the ground. The rickshaw runner was panting like a heaving canine after a long day of hunting.

"What's this?" Fuu asked.

"It just happens to be one of the complimentary things of our village. They are called rickshaws and they are from a country called China on the continent. They work very hard and we provide them with food, shelter, and whatever they truly need."

"Couldn't say no to an offer like this," Mugen grinned placing the rest of their supplies in the back seat of the rickshaw. Fuu and the stranger placed the rest of their things in the carriage and the runner got ready to take them to their next destination.

"Thank you so much for all your help and information," Fuu said getting into the rickshaw.

"Yeah dude, it was cool," Mugen said sitting in the front seat of the rickshaw putting his feet up and crossing his arms behind his head.

"Bye now," the stranger waved to them.

"We never got your name," Fuu snapped.

"It's Huga. And Mugen I believe you asked me what was up." One of the ex-buccaneer's eyes wandered over towards Huga. "Down at the famous restaurant slash club the Black Diamond, there is going to be a live traveling band and a huge party."

"Now that sounds more like it," Mugen said with a grin.

"We'll be there," Fuu added. Within a few seconds the runner got his feet moving and they were headed for the down town area.

The down town area was unlike any village they had been to. There were all kinds of structures and each one had its own unique architecture. Some buildings had huge spires protruding out towards the sky, while others had huge golden domes and sweeping stoops and twisting towers. The market place was full of busy buyers and consumers alike. Even the great markets of Edo looked insignificant by comparison to this weird and wondrous city. After passing through the down town market area they came to a small inn on the outskirts of the city. The rickshaw driver dropped them off and Fuu even tipped the nice young man. At first he declined her generous offer, but she told him it would make her feel better. The small Inn was equally impressive as the down town area of Tinker Town.

There were coats of samurai arms and very stylistic and gleaming suits of medieval European armor decorating the hallways. At the room with the front desk there were arrangements of beautiful flowers and other plants placed on tables and next to the check in desk. Fuu thought they were all so very exquisite, and Mugen couldn't have cared less. They got a nice large room upstairs, it was a great deal for the price but it was also a bit of a haul. However; Fuu didn't mind because she had Mugen with her, who did mind. The hallways walls upstairs were richly embellished with paintings of crashing waves, portraits of famous samurai and Buddhists, there were even comical paintings of Kappa, Tengu, and other demons of Japanese and Buddhist folklore. Fuu thought they were all really interesting and beautiful. Mugen especially liked the one of a girl wearing a bright red kimono with a plunging cleavage line sitting in an oyster. Fuu had to snag him away from that painting. When they got to their room they got dressed into some clothes for going out and headed down to the Black Diamond.

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The restaurant and club wasn't all that far from their inn. It took them less than a half hour to get down to it. The structure was like a huge rectangle and held an appearance that was certainly traditional Japanese architecture. However; one thing that stuck out was the giant gargoyles at each end of the lengthy building. They had huge gaping jaws full of razor teeth and giant clawed wings like that of a bat.

"That's quite an outfit," Mugen remarked putting an arm around her as they walked up to the front entrance. Her body felt very warm and it made his nerves beam with delight. She wore a dark blue tube top with these small ribbons with pieces of cloth shaped like hearts and teardrops hanging from there ends. She also wore a rather short light blue skirt with the same kind of pattern of ribbon hanging from its bottom end. Her hair was worn up in its usual manner. Mugen wore a green short-sleeve shirt that had the ancient triangular fire symbol etched on the front side and the upside down triangular water symbol on the back of the shirt. He wore a pair of dark baggy pants and his moccasins. Around his neck hung a necklace; with a skull ornament dangling from it. Fuu always thought Mugen was crazy, but at the same time quite sexy and mysterious. Mugen also found her to be a bit crazy and even a little mystic, but never sexy. With all these revealing and seductive clothing she was wearing he could at finally feel his heart literally beat for her with passion. He found her quite cute back in the day, but now he was starting to realize she was blossoming into a beautiful young woman.

"Well I would want to look my best at a place like this," she responded with a sexy smile.

"Why can't you always dress like this?" he asked scratching his head with his free hand.

"Because then it would probably loose its flair."

"I think that would be something we'd have to put to the test," he remarked with a grin. Almost instantly following what he said he got a slap on his rear by Fuu. It was an unexpected but tolerable attack.

When they got inside the restaurant they were overwhelmed with the vigorous energy and charisma of the club. Drinks were being served and mixed left and right, people were running around the huge dance floor. Many sat at large circular tables and ate and sliced their food like sadistic wolves. At the far end of the huge room and just behind the dance floor there was a band playing. There was a guitar player dressed in red and wore a very broad hat with a long feather in it. There was also a burly red bearded man playing a fiddle. There was a fat oriental man that resembled a sumo playing a large drum kit. Sitting in between the guitar player a Japanese woman sat on a pile of pillows and played a rickety but melodic shamisen.

"This place is kinda my style," Mugen remarked staring at the band.

"You can say that again," Fuu said leading him over to the bar by the arm. They got a few drinks and then strolled over to the dance floor. When they first entered the music was at a medium tempo and the grooves were tame. As they stepped out into the open the music started to slow down drastically. The fiddle player created a very tranquil harmony and the guitar player strummed a few major chords and notes softly. The drummer switched over to a hand drum and the woman playing the shamisen started to sing. Just then a man dressed in a long dark robe stepped onto their small stage and played an enormous upright bass. He layered a very melodic and soft rhythmic baseline; it blended and complemented the rest of the music that was sifting through the air and into the souls of the dancers. Fuu wrapped her arms around Mugens neck and shoulders and leaned on him gently. Mugen's brawny but fierce hands wrapped around her hips and waist, and together they swayed with the current and influence of the music.

Rocking back and forth and occasionally side to side he once again felt that same kind of euphoria as he did the previous night with her. Now it seemed that it was both natural and personal reasons why he liked her. When they first knew each other she was a bit younger than him, but he usually didn't care about that stuff. Just doing this basic and intimate dance brought so much bliss to his being. She buried her face in his chest and started to clutch his neck tighter.

_Damn! This chick is really gettin to me! _Sweat wasn't pouring out of him, but he felt his skin temperature go through the roof._ God! I wish I was a lizard right now!_ If he had been some kind of reptile, it felt as if Fuu could have kept him warm even in the coldest of all climates. Eventually the song came to a tranquil ending and all the other idyllic and heavenly feelings that surrounded and entrenched the two of them subsided into the busy and active room. "I need to get another drink," Mugen murmured pulling away from Fuu.

"What?! But you already had like three," she snapped in retaliation.

"Point?" Mugen returned shuffling over to the bar. Fuu shook her head and kept moving with the music. The band was now creating a very beautiful arpeggio with a heavy rhythm and fast tempo. Mugen wasn't really up for that kind of dancing anyways. When he got back over to the bar he pulled up a stool and rested his head on the counter top. His mind was a whirlwind of emotions and thoughts coalescing at a vehement swiftness. He wasn't too sure of himself or his choice of action. Dancing and being with Fuu did make him happy, but for what ever the reason was he was still uncertain. Indecision rarely ever clouded his judgment; he was a young man that lived in the moment and always made concise decisions.

"Feeling a little low tonight," a seductive and mature female voice sounded above his buried face.

"Who the hell wants to know?!" Mugen roared looking up from the counter top. Suddenly he found himself face to face with one hot chick. She had dark red lipstick and had great big and exquisite dark almond eyes. Her brown hair was a little bit below her neck and was very shiny, straight, and smooth. Her kimono was a beautiful amalgamation of purple and pink shades merging in big bright patterns. It was a bit short for a kimono; it ended just above her knees. She also had a very impressive bust line. On one of her fingers she had a ring with a golden fly with a green emerald jewel in its abdomen. Mugen almost froze at the sight of her beautiful face.

"Why don't you rethink your choice of words," she said with a sexy smirk. Mugen smiled and glared deep into her hungry, deep, gorgeous eyes.

For a brief second he looked away from her powerful eyes and saw Fuu dancing happily with a couple of other guys with out a care in the quick and unforgiving world. Then his keen eyes got back to his new target.

"Hey booze monkey," he called over to the bar tender with a snap of his fingers. "Grab us a couple of cold ones!" The small and chubby disoriented man bowed to them and then placed a couple of cold brews in front of them. They both clutched their icy drinks by their cold handles and clicked them together in a classic gesture of cheers. Then they both gulped them down like there was no tomorrow. The beer was a special kind and it had been brewed and was shipped from this mysterious western country called Germany. The beer tasted great, and Mugen was shocked to see that hot erotic woman gulp it down so quickly. _Shit! That broad can drink like a fish! _

"Wasn't that last number beautiful," the hot mystery woman spoke batting her pretty eyes.

"Yeah, it was alright."

"You know really good songs are a lot like people's lives, all too very short," she said in a serene voice. Mugen now noticed her hand was crawling across the table like a spider over to his wrist.

_Where did I hear something like that before? _He thought aggressively. Did he know this woman? There was something about her personality and her appearance that reminded him of someone he once knew in the past. Whatever; he was happy with her right now.

"I'm glad beer is like people's lives," he said with a chuckle throwing his head back.

"What makes you say that?" the mystery woman asked running a delicate hand through her straight shiny dark hair.

"Because once you're through with one you can move on to another!" he said with a smile taking another gulp from his beer mug.

"That's how it goes huh?!" Mugen looked over his left shoulder and saw who the voice belonged to. It was Fuu! Her eyes looked like those of a demon and were starring straight at him. Her hands were placed on her petite hips and looked like they could crush the skull of a man.

"Heeeeey!" Mugen replied pointing both fingers at her.

"Don't bother playing that card this time, what is this!" she was really enraged.

"Who's this little riff-rat?" the mystery woman asked taking another sip of her beer. Fuu stepped right in front of Mugen.

"Stay out of this!" Fuu demanded. Mugen had never seen her become such a territorial little brat. Sure she did become envious of other girls but she never went to these extremes.

"What's a matter? Those two idiots ditch you for a real piece of ass!" Mugen questioned Fuu in a tough and rugged tone. Fuu turned her gaze back to him and glared at him with big angry and sad eyes of disappointment.

"So why are you even over here again?" the cool-minded sexy woman in the colorful kimono asked again.

"He's with me!" Fuu sneered snapping her attention back to the mystery lady.

"Hey wait a minute-" Mugen was once again cut off by Fuu.

"Why should I!" Fuu spontaneously retaliated.

"Because you've exploded into some kind of boorish little bitch that just pisses everyone off around her!" Fuu took a step back from him and looked at him deeper. _Okay, maybe you really went a little overkill on that last attack!_ This time when she responded she stuttered when she spoke.

"I-I, d-don't, know w-what t-to say t-to you!" she said looking sad. Now the calm and sexy mystery woman was starting to raise an eyebrow at him in question.

"Hey, now listen-"something else broke apart their battle of words.

_**CRAAASH!!! **_

Some kind of an object shattered a window near where they were all standing. Both Mugen and Fuu redirected their attention over to what was rolling across the floor of the club. It was some kind of explosive; it was round and kind of resembled a coconut.

"Hit the decks!" Mugen roared and grabbed Fuu and somersaulted with her over the bar counter and fell behind it. When the explosive went off, it shot sparks and other glittering flaming embers in all directions. It wasn't a gunpowder explosive but it caused everyone on the dance floor and at the restaurant to stampede like a petrified herd of cattle. All most immediately after the bomb went off a dozen dark shadowy figures came smashing in through the ceiling window right above the center of the dance floor. They were dressed in black and gray suits that resembled ninjas somewhat. In their hands they shot off rockets and other fireworks that caused all the club patrons to fall to the ground or run straight into the walls of the club. Mugen peeked up from behind the bar counter.

"Ha, saved by the bomb!" he snickered. Unsheathing his long sword he jumped over the counter and crawled under a cluster of tables that hadn't been smashed or knocked over yet. Behind the bar counter Fuu was huddled into a little ball with her knees pressed against her chin.

_These really are like old times! _The short and chubby little bar tender had passed out from shock, and so did a couple of his waitresses who were also behind the bar. _God can these people handle anything! _

"Fuu! Fuu!" A familiar voice called to her from behind the counter. She glanced over to her left and all the way down at the other end of the bar she saw that Huga guy on his hands and knees. He motioned for her to come to him. Since he was the only other person she knew here beside Mugen, and given the fact that they were under heavy attack she didn't really have a choice. Quickly she crawled to his side.

"I'm glad you made it!" he said in a sarcastic voice with a forced smile.

"These people really know how to throw a party!" Fuu yelped.

"Yes they do, and I have a plan to crash it!" Fuu's eyes widened with that remark and she listened closely to him. "Right now the enemy's brigade has divided into four groups. There are three by the front entrance with rockets waiting in bottles to be fired and there are three by the back entrance. Also if you look over the counter here real quick you can see that there are three large groups of people that have been rounded up for pocket dumping, and to be held as potential hostages. Each group is being watched over by a single thug. And lastly there are three more that are hidden in the shadows. They only deploy if things get really bad or there is a target that needs to be intercepted right away." For a strange and artistic philosopher he seemed to know a lot about battle tactics.

_Maybe this guy was once a general or something and he came to this town to live a lackadaisical life _Fuu thought.

"Hand me that bottle of White Dragon sake please," he asked pointing to a full bottle on the ground. She handed it to him and he peered over the counter. There was one of those ninja looking renegades standing in front of a group of petrified people.

"Don't move! Or I'll, I'll do somethin! Somethin not cool!" For a stealthy warrior of ninjitsu he seemed like a real idiot too. With out warning Huga stood up from behind the counter and chucked the bottle of sake at the ninja renegade. The bottle flew end over end through the air and smashed into a million shards when it collided with the back of his head.

"Ooouuuuuuuuuu!" he groaned as he toppled to the floor.

"Over there! Get them!" another masked renegade called out pointing towards the bar. Two more of the black clad warriors jumped out from the shadows and dashed for the bar. From beneath one of the tables Mugen saw their advancement. Quickly he flicked a couple of shot glasses out from under the table. Both of them slipped on the glasses and also collapsed hard to the floor. From the ceiling another ninja dropped to the floor right in front of the bar and unsheathed a tanto knife and a shuriken.

"These two are mine!" he said standing up straight.

"Sure about that!" a voice called up from behind the bar. Fuu popped up and in her hands she held a green bottle of champagne. Swiftly she snapped the cork off the bottle and it bounced off her adversary's forehead. What was even worse was when the bubbly alcohol got in his eyes and in his face.

"Sting! Sting! Ah! The sting!" He yelled batting himself in the face. He was actually doing more damage to himself rather than the fluid. Groaning he went crashing to the floor holding his face. Nuclear silence fell upon the room, what was going to happen next.

"Don't anybody try to fuck around again!" one of the head ninjas called out. Then he pulled out another one of those bombs. "This explosive uses real gunpowder from the land of Iberia, one of the highest qualities!" Everyone huddle in their groups on the floor moved in a little closer. Abruptly something glass and full of liquids smashed into his hand holding the bomb. He growled with pain as he held his glass scratched hand.

"By the way will it still work if it's drenched, you did say if it was the highest quality?" Huga called out from behind the counter of the bar.

"You all over there close in on them!" he ordered the three renegades guarding the back entrance to charge the bar. Unsheathing their swords they dashed across the dance floor like tigers across a valley. Unexpectedly, Mugen jumped up from behind one of the tables and planted powerful kicks on two of the ninja. The third ninja raised his sword but was cut down before he could even drop it. After his foe hit the floor silently he walked arrogantly over to the unmasked ninja with the bleeding hand.

"Anybody else up for a serving?" he spoke with a devious grin.

"I am actually," an equally smug voice sounded from the shadows. Mugen clutched his sword. Then an opponent he never would have expected emerged from the shadows of the huge room. It was his old nemesis Jonomaru. He wore a long white samurai robe with his black hair in a long pony tail, and a small traditional topknot rested on his head. His green sinister eyes pierced Mugen angrily. In his right hand he held a gigantic zombato broad sword, almost the same length as his body. "Well, well, well I'm surprised your still alive wild man!" he said with a grin.

"Long time no see!" Mugen retorted squinting his eyes. "Why don't we finish what we started," Mugen sneered.

"Gladly," responded Jonomaru raising his enormous blade.

Behind the bar table Fuu and Huga made their next moves. Because so much attention was now focused on Mugen and his old contender there was chance they could make the other entrance free. They both snuck out from behind the bar and kept their heads low. Huga carried two bottles of champagne. Swiftly he threw them both at the two ninja guarding the door. They both hit them unexpectedly and sent them tumbling to the floor. The middle one however leaped into the air and simultaneously threw a cluster of kunai blades. Fuu grabbed a wooden chair from a knocked over table and blocked them from hitting her companion.

"Thank you," he said taking the chair from her. Then he bashed the incoming ninja with it. After they took out the last of the three guards blocking the door they tried to kick it down. Despite their efforts, it didn't even budge. "They must have it barricaded from the outside," Huga said.

"Going somewhere?" a sexy female voice sounded from behind them. It was that woman again in that seductive kimono. Her fat ruby lips curled into a sinister smile. Fuu got the idea that she was a mole for these renegades.

"I'll handle this!" said Fuu stepping out in front of him. Huga thought for some reason she was a witch and dove under a table. _Man that guy has issues. _Redirecting her focus to the sexy brunette in front of her she noticed something. "Something about the way you talk and even look reminds me of someone I heard about."

"That's strange. You seem to remember who I am and that handsome renegade forgot all about me." Fuu raised an eyebrow. Looking down at her hands that looked like they were trying to clutch something under her kimono she noticed something. She had a ring with a golden fly with an emerald in it. Then it hit her like a ton of bricks, she knew exactly who she was.

"Wait a minute you must be that evil Hotaru chick that tried to kill Mugen!" Fuu screeched. The raging girl had never personally met nor seen this mystery lady, but she did know that she was the one that gave Mugen that one night mushroom. "So who did you sell your soul to this time?!"

"It doesn't concern you! All you must do is die!" she spoke with an evil grin revealing a bronze dagger with a hilt richly embellished with jewels. Almost simultaneously Fuu unsheathed her own tanto blade from her pink knife cover.

"Where were you hiding that?" Hotaru asked with a grin.

"None of your business! The only thing that concerns you is that I am going to pay you back for Mugen, with interest!" Hotaru smiled and then lunged at Fuu. Fortunately she couldn't aim for beans and missed Fuu. She tried to plunge her blade at Fuu again this time she hit the door behind her opponent. Fuu giggled deviously and made a knife swipe of her own. However; Fuu's accuracy couldn't have been better than a blind persons and she also missed her contender. Still her knuckles that held her blade clobbered one of those ninja like guys instead.

"Ouuuuuuuu!" he snarled falling to the floor.

The battle between Mugen and Jonomaru continued. Swiftly he flung himself into a backbend to avoid being smashed by Jonomaru's huge sword. Pivoting on his feet he swung for Mugen's feet. Quickly he side stepped away and parried another attacker's sword. He took him out with an elbow strike and then blocked the incoming attack by the unmasked renegade that held the gunpowder bomb. After the block was made he dropped to one knee and dropped him like a bad habit with a foot sweep. As he got to his feet Jononmaru leapt at him with a vertical slash of his zombato. The huge sword crashed on the dance floor and made a small crater.

"I've gotta hand it to ya, after all these years you still have your touch!" Jonomaru said resting his sword on his shoulder.

"Grrrrr!" Mugen snarled. Jonomaru was never the best kind of warrior when it came to using a katana or a wakashi, but he was a master at using the huge and devastating zombato. The huge blade didn't just cleave and damage limbs, it shattered entire bones. His movements were predictable because of the huge sword, but because he attacked with such speed and grace it was hard to repel them.

"But as you can see, I've also stayed in tact too!" with that said he rushed at Mugen with his huge blade held high.

_I think I see something good about this attack! _Mugen thought. Just as he shoved his blade forward Mugen side stepped on one foot and hit the edge of Jonomaru sword with the tip of his sword. Because Jonomaru had rushed with so much power and aggression Mugen had knocked all that out of place. Jonomaru lost his balance and went crashing to the ground, as he stumbled forward he took out a few chairs. _Excellent! Now I've gotta go help that damn broad! _

Fuu and Hotaru's battle raged on. However; due to their horrendous aim neither of them managed to get a good hit. Hotaru took a slashing swing at Fuu, and missed as usual. Fuu took advantage of the situation and counter attacked. She cut Hotaru's cheek. Blood ran down from the slender cut and her lips curled angrily. Fuu evaded her following attack, but as she back peddled she stepped on a shot glass and plummeted backwards to the floor. With her legs part and looking up from the ground she saw Hotaru walk in between her feet.

"That was the last mistake you ever make!" she snarled. Fuu could feel her heart's rhythm pick up drastically with fear. Suddenly a sword was thrust straight through Hotaru's stomach. Her eyes widened until they were like huge white marbles. She gagged as crimson blood began to gurgle and surge from her mouth and fall down her thick lips. With a wet sigh her eyes rolled in the back of her head and she fell over sideways. Fuu was relieved to see who it was who made the lethal attack from behind Hotaru. Mugen pulled his sword out from her corpse and ran his and over his blade removing her scarlet blood.

"I guess that was the last mistake she will ever make too!" he said with a dark smile. Fuu instantly forgot about all the conflicts they had soldiered through and jumped to her feet and hugged him around his neck. Mugen sheathed his sword hand placed a clean hand on her lower back.

"Over here!" a familiar voice called to them from across the room. They both looked away from each other and saw Huga standing by a small staircase that lead into the ground. "There is a way out through the wine and sake caller! Hurry!" he commanded. Quickly they both dashed over to their comrade, yet they were blocked half way there. Jonomaru jumped up on one of the circular wooden tables with his zombato held high.

"Hey man! This chick had nothing to do with what happened!" Mugen dissented.

"Oh, I don't care what will happen to her, we just need to finish what we started!"

"Move along," Mugen told Fuu in a low and serious voice.

"What! What about you!" she asked with her eyes starting to swell.

"I'll be fine as always! Just let me put this clown back in its fuckin place!" She nodded and dashed over to Huga. Mugen was quite impressed that she stopped her bickering quickly and did what he told her. Jonomaru watched her run away and then looked back at Mugen.

"Now let's get down to business!" he said with a sharp smile. Swift as a hawk he leapt off the table and brought his gigantic sword downwards. With a single swipe he shattered a table into two pieces; Mugen fortunately dove away from him at the last minute. Spinning on his back he leapt up to his feet but Jonomaru was ready for him. Spinning on his feet he swung his immense sword at him in a horizontal motion and took out part of the wall. Mugen back hand-sprung away from his contender, he was starting to get a bit tired. Jonomaru swung his huge sword again and again at Mugen. With agility and strength Mugen quickly blocked and counter attacked after every one of Jonomaru's moves. However; Jonomaru was also very good at using his enormous blade as a defensive tool as well. Eventually Jonomaru brought his sword down on Mugen, he blocked it with his European long sword with both hands on its hilt. He fell to a knee; there was so much intense pressure and power behind Jonomaru's zombato sword. Mugen clinched his teeth tightly and tried to hold off the attack.

"Come on man, where's the spirit of the raider I once knew," he taunted Mugen with a sinister smile applying more pressure to his monstrous blade. Just then Mugen figured out a counter move and smiled. Jonomaru raised an eyebrow. With all his might and speed Mugen slid his blade out from beneath his opponent's massive sword and rolled away from him. Jonomaru's zombato fell to the floor and he lost his footing somewhat. Then Mugen pushed off the floor with his hands and drop kicked Jonomaru's unguarded side. Jonomaru literally went airborne for a few seconds and then skid across the floor.

"Was that the spirit you were looking for?" Mugen said sheathing his sword.

"Get him you morons!" Jonomaru called up from the floor pointing his huge sword at Mugen. Then he growled with pain and held his side tightly. Mugen looked up from his opponent and saw that there were a lot more of those ninja renegades entering the building.

"I gotta get the hell out of here!" he spoke quickly. Then he turned and dashed towards the staircase that lead to the liquor basement.

**See how bad stuff can come back and haunt ya!**

**That Hotaru chick was in the second episode of the series and her fate is kind of unclear. In some versions of the manga she is dead, but this is a different direction I decided to take it in. She was working for that psycho dude in the show so I figured it would be cool if she would work for Jonomaru and his gang. **

**This Was a HUGE chapter/episode and I hoped you really enjoyed it, **

**Because I loved designing this segment of the story. There was a lot of action, the story got more interesting, and we now know a little bit more about Mugen's previous life as a pirate and raider. **

**See ya next Chap! **


	6. An Alien Ally

_An Alien Ally _

Mugen runs into some old enemies, and is helped by an old unexpected acquaintance. Fuu wins a couple of tickets to see up a traditional Japanese NO theatre play, which has a dark secret

_Enjoy _

The three of them dashed through the wine cellar as if the world was collapsing behind them. Both Mugen and Fuu felt like their lives were in danger just like the old days of their expeditions. However; like those old times the thrills never ceased to make them feel alive and that was something they both missed. It was the threat of danger, and the fear of uncertainty that had propelled them through the many obstacles that stood in their ways.

"This way!" Huga yelled at them pivoting and dashing around the corner. The shelves of liquor, sake , and other alcoholic beverages just seemed to go on forever.

"Man! For an older punk this guy can really haul like hell!" Mugen commented.

"You can say that again!" Fuu agreed with him following him down the dimly lit hallway. "Do you think the message has been sent that this place just got attacked?!"

"Doubt it!" Mugen responded jumping over a chubby man in a kimono sprawled over the ground with a sake bottle in hand. "When these bastards broke in they made sure nobody escaped. I also bet whatever law enforcement dudes hanging around outside probably got clobbered to death. Jonomaru is one clever punk, and when he works he makes sure he puts his heart in it," Mugen explained whipping Fuu of the ground over another snoozing drunk.

"Thanks!" she yelped. At the end of the long hallway they could see Huga had opened a large bamboo door and held a large torch dancing and crackling and burning like a small sun.

"Come! They won't be able to catch us down here!"

_I wonder where that door leads _Fuu thought. Both of them dashed into the darkness of this new room. It was even dimmer than the long hallways of the liquor cellar.

"Where the hell does this room lead too?!" Mugen asked in disgruntled voice evading a spider descending from its web. Gradually Mugen and Fuu had to slow down because it was getting harder to see where they were roaming.

"This room is one of the many entrances to the Tinker Town Catacombs."

"The Tinker Town what!" Mugen asked almost stumbling into Fuu.

"They are an ancient network of subterranean tunnels and chambers that lead all over town. No one but the Tinker Town natives know their way around here," Huga explained brining his torchlight over to the dark walls of the room. With one of his feet he pushed a loose stone into the wall. The wall made a thick sliding noise that sounded like rocks being dragged across a hard marble surface. As the sound of churning of stone creaked and bounced off the walls of the small gloomy room Fuu and Mugen were shocked to see the many stone slabs open into two large segments before their eyes. Behind the wall there was a long circular tunnel light by a series of torches flanking down on both sides. This sight gave both Fuu and Mugen's confidence a second wind.

"Alright! It looks like you really do know how things work around here!" Mugen roared gleefully pumping one of his fists into the air. Quickly they got back to sprinting pace and started to jog down the new hallway.

"Thank the Lord that you guys know your way around here!" Fuu said trying to keep pace with her two companions.

"Well. We natives and a few insane people that hide down here pretty much own this territory." Suddenly Fuus pretty chocolate eyes of hope squinted with fear.

"Ah to hell with'em!" Mugen snared wrapping an arm around Fuu's waist. "If we run into any of those freaks they'll make good target practice for me!" he insisted. "Right now we just need to keep on breezin!" He smiled like he had won all the golden medals of the Olympics. It was these times that tried their confidence and placed their wits and perseverance in a new level of power, and Mugen always seemed to shine at times like these too. When she was around him she felt as if she too could take on the world. Mugen didn't mention it but he loved watching her beautiful and graceful hair sway and bounce with her elegant and endearing strides.

Soon they got to their hotel and they rounded up all their supplies and quickly jumped on a couple of horses that Huga borrowed from an old friend. Huga rode on a beautiful black stallion and Mugen rode with Fuu clinging to him on the back of a large and muscular work horse. It was no picnic riding through the darkness but with Huga leading the way Mugen felt that he had nothing to loose. When they got to the boat house Huga gave them directions to a town not to far that housed several officials of the shogunate. He said that they had strong security and they are ever rarely raided. Fuu hugged and thanked him and Mugen gave him a much deserved pound on the knuckles. Mugen never thought that that strange man would deserve one. Then they quickly left with out a trace.

That night they were lucky to have come across a small cave on the fire. They brought their canoe inside and Mugen pushed it up on a cluster of rocks so it wouldn't float away. Together they huddled inside the large canoe floor and tried their best to get some sleep.

"Mugen, do you think they will-" he pressed a couple of fingers to her lips to silence her words at that very moment.

"Remember what I told you, freaks bothering us equal me getting some new target practice," he whispered into her ear delicately but assertively. "Now just forget about the troubled hellish world around you for a few minutes and feel your body come to peace. Honestly I can't sleep if I don't feel my mind come to ease." With his warm and wise words she felt her hearts pace weaken and her eyes closed. No matter how dangerous the situation was, the vulgar but deep Mugen always managed to put her at serenity with the world.

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The following day they both awoke to the misty morning and set out for another day. Now that Jonomaru had returned, Mugen was once again on his top guard. For once in his life he thought his past would had at finally died, this was proof that the souls that troubled him from back then could certainly come back again. They both sat down in their luxuries canoe and allowed the flow of the rivers current to carry them to their next destination. Mugen watched Fuu carefully from the back of the canoe.

He noticed that she was lacking her usual strong and upright posture. She was hunched over and seemed to be sighing constantly and groaning about something under her breath. The ex-buccaneer started to assume that she didn't get much sleep the previous night.

"You alright!" he asked in a cautious but concerned voice.

"Yeah, I think so. I'm alive right?" her words were truthful but seemed pitiful due to her weak voice.

"That was a real close one, but like always we pulled it off like a couple of frickin pros!"

"Yeah." That was all she said to his insightful observation. "We could have used Jin," she said running a hand through her hair. Mugen squinted his eyes spitefully, what was she trying to convey.

"Hey what do ya mean?!"

"Even though the two of you didn't always get along, you were both dynamite when you fought side by side against the same opponents."

"Tch! I can hold my own thank you! Don't need know goddamn four eyes skulking around here," he retorted dipping his oar into the water to keep the canoe on its course. Fuu didn't feel like retaliating, it was too early in the day and they had a lot of ground to cover. Huga gave them the directions to the next town where they could sleep safely and shelter their boat. It wasn't a huge community; it was about the same size as Tinker Town. What made this small city important was the fact that they had several buildings reserved for officials of the shogun and other government officials. This meant that most criminals and members of rouge samurai clans didn't come to this city because of its security and powerful individuals who usually were there. The city was called Oge-omati, and like Tinker Town it also had its unique culture.

Many government officials came to this town to hold meetings because they loved its well known theatre house. They often performed all kinds of forms of Japanese No theatre like kabuki. Also, the city was known for its great sake, and its rare and hard to obtain Western imported wines. It was going to take Fuu and Mugen the whole day and a bit of the night to get there. Most of the day she slept and Mugen kept watch. She laid down gently in the middle of the canoe and dozed off like a docile child.

"Gee! I wish I could sleep too!" Mugen said under his breath. Fuu twitched a little bit and released a soft humming noise. For him it was hard to stay agitated at her. Instead he smiled and continued to steer their small royal river vessel.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------

It was night fall when they reached the city of Oge-omati. One of the things that surprised Mugen when they first pulled their Canoe up to the dock was the lack of activity. There were few meager torches lit here and there, and a couple of security agents with staffs standing at certain spots and were congregating with some merchants across the dock. Something, something was in the air, he didn't like it, and it felt as if his sixth sense was trying to evoke something within his alert soul. He knew that this was usually a busy dock even in the nightly hours. After they climbed out of their river vessel they went to go find an inn for the night. Luckily not to far from the dock there was a small rickety hotel with both vacant rooms at very affordable rates. They got a room up on the first floor. Partly they both got this room because they were both still a bit timid about the night before. However; Fuu had forgotten her favorite heart locket necklace back at their canoe. After a few rough insults and reasons Mugen very reluctantly stomped out of their hotel room and down the hallway.

"Why the hell is it always me?!" He snarled under his breath kicking a small woven basket out of his way_**. Knock! Knock! Knock!**_ His feet beating against the wooden boardwalk sounded like a thousand villages all smashing against the large gates of a medieval fortress. Carefully he knelt down over the long boat and looked down carefully at its floor. Glinting in the vibrant moon light he could see the chain of Fuu's locket necklace.

"It's not like some shmuck is gonna rob this thing! It practically passes for being royalty!" he said to himself grabbing her necklace. Suddenly he heard a soft pounding noise ripple through the tranquil winds surrounding him. _Somebody decided to join with me! _Quickly he looked down both ways of the boardwalk. All Mugen's eyes saw were rows and rows of boats quietly bobbing up and down with the caressing waves of the lake. His combat instincts were gradually coming to life. Trying not to make any sounds he walked back down the boardwalk keeping an eye on every boat he passed just to make sure that no surprises decided to greet him. Just when I thought it was _freakin safe! I should fucking know better! _When he came to the edge of the board walk and stepped onto the dirt road that lead to the dock houses he noticed something else. _Did all those bastards decide to go on break or something! _Just about all the dock guardians that had been walking their beats had now disappeared. Mugen's sixth since was right as usual. _Something is not right here. _Instead of taking the main dirt road that lead through the dock area he cut back behind a few of the small storage buildings. They were small structures and had normally been used for storage of things like fish traps and tools. Outside of these small buildings there were mountains of fish traps and large wooden barrels. Normally Mugen would go thumbing through them, but he was on his top guard. He kept his right hand right by the edge of his neck so he could quickly draw his blade if necessary. From side to side, left to right he looked carefully between the wide barrels and other objects around the storage buildings to see any signs of movement. _**Crimp! **_Someone was moving behind him. _**Crimp! Crump! **_It sounded like someone was dragging and shuffling their feet across the ground in an ambling manner. Gently he curled his index finger around his sword's hilt and then clutched the blade with all his fury.

_**Shing! **_Swifter than a raptor he drew his sword and pivoted in the sandy ground to meet his adversary. It was none other than an old homeless looking old lady. He couldn't make out her features in the dark to well, but he almost laughed as he saw her try to crawl away from him under one of the barrels. _**Thunk! **_Suddenly something hard whacked him in the back of his head. Dazed and confused in a world of pain he stumbled to the ground.

"The fact that you are alive is almost scientifically impossible!" a voice rang out behind him.That last blow to the head really knocked him off course and just getting up seemed like a special forces mission. Looking to his left wearily he saw a man in blue rob holding a long sword. Frantically Mugen climbed to his feet but he was struck yet again, this time in the back.

_I'm really getting sick of this! _This time he rolled across the ground like a gymnast and sprung up to his feet. The two unknown foes charged at him with their blades held high. Aggressively he parried all their swipes and slashes with speed and agility. While Mugen may have been holding his own, he was starting to get exhausted. After an entire day of rowing vigorously and staying awake it was tough to keep fighting at his normal vicious rate. Also after being hit twice from a blind spot it was getting harder for him to protect himself. The images of the two mysterious combatants were starting to fade in right before his eyes. Abruptly, he was brought back to painful reality when one of his enemies planted a powerful frontal kick to his abdominal muscles; he went crashing backwards to the earth.

"Now that we've had some enjoyment, I don't see you staying here any longer!" one of the strangers with a katana laughed with a sinister grin.

"Just who the hell are you two people?!" Mugen snarled up from the dirt covered ground.

"Hah! Just as I expected! I figured we'd be a couple of strangers to this beast!" the man in the blue robe said elbowing his comrade in the stomach. "Does the name Nagatomi ring a bell? Well we both used to work for that money driven punk but we've sold our souls to a new name that is Jonomaru!" At the sound of that name Mugen's eyes widened an his heart skipped a few needed beats.

_Oh great it looks like all my god forsaken enemies are starting a fan club! And of course I'm the damn star! _Out from behind the barrels and crates of cargo several other strangers with swords and staffs emerged from the dim shadows. _Oh great more fans_ Mugen thought painfully.

"Now I plan to end my boss's pain." The man with the blue rob stepped forward and pointed his sword downward in a stabbing position. Mugen waited patiently to raise his blade over his head; right when his elbows were even with his ears. One thing Mugen didn't like about waiting to strike was all these other miscreants watching his every move. Mugen closed his eyes and started to concentrate very hard, he had to time his opponents attack perfectly. "Hey! What the hell!" Mugen's eyes widened looking from where he laid on his back he saw that a huge man had grabbed his opponent by the wrist. The smaller Japanese man looked over his shoulder at the huge man in the shadows and smiled. "Well look who it is, the enormous pacifist of the barbarian lands, due you plan to take me out?" he chuckled with a grin. Then the dark figure from the shadow answered him articulately with a single word.

"Yes," he said with a deep and accented voice. With his other fist he delivered powerful blow to Mugen's adversary. He went tumbling backwards groaning. Mugen caught the glance of another opponent emerging from behind the dark figure, with a strong elbow strike he sent his opponent stumbling backwards to the ground. The other three that had appeared from behind the fish traps and wooden barrels also charged at the giant.

"It looks like luck hasn't disowned me yet!" Mugen spoke with a grin. He watched with amazement as the gigantic stranger defeated everyone who dashed at him. The stranger that had assisted the man in the blue rob swung his blade at the huge man. He side stepped his attacker and countered with lunging his skull forward and head bashing his opponent. Aaahhhhh! He growled falling to the ground. One of the three that dashed at him he stopped with a kick that sent his opponent flying into a wall of barrels. The second dasher he blocked with a fish trap then grabbed him by the neck. Swiftly he lifted him with one arm and choke slammed the punk into the dirt. "Man this guy would come in handy in a tough spot," Mugen said climbing to his feet. The third dasher had stopped and parted his feet carefully striking a strong stance. He held his staff high and waited for the giant to attack him.

"Come on!" he roared. Quietly his adversary stepped out of the shadow of the large cargo building behind them. He had a red mohawk-like haircut and a very muscular build. There was something Mugen recognized about him as well. "Oh, so your one of them huh?" Mugen also noticed that he was certainly not from Japan. Now that Mugen felt more in one piece he was able to contribute to the fight. Athletically he dove forward and swung both his feet under himself and caught the arrogant staff warrior off guard. Falling sideways he crashed his head on one of the rocks that Mugen had been hit by earlier.

"Vwow, vwonderful move!" he stranger spoke.

_Wait a minute! That voice its strange but very familiar! _The stranger took a few more steps towards Mugen they were calm and not threatening. Still, ex-buccaneer kept his stance solid and his sword ready for anything. Now that he was even more in the moonlight Mugen could totally make out his features. His lightly colored skin seemed to glow against the beautiful vibrant luminosity of the night, and his eyes were a very strange color. They almost looked kind of bluish, now Mugen knew exactly who he was.

"Long time no see!" Mugen said with a smile. Mugen knew exactly who he was he was that bizarre man Isaac from the Dutch East Indian Trading Company.

"Likevwise," the stranger answered with a grin. Suddenly another opponent sprung out from the shadows with a spear in his hands. Isaac caught it by the shaft and raised it high above their attackers head. Agitatedly, the man who held the spear that wore samurai armor struggled viscously and snarled at Isaac.

"Release it you savage!" the samurai roared. Isaac's usually happy and blissful light blue eyes narrowed and seemed to fill with fire and belligerence.

"Excuse me," he said to Mugen in his usual tone of voice. With his right fist he shattered his opponents spear into a cloud of toothpicks. The samurai's eyes widened with fear and shock. Maybe it wasn't a good idea to have taunted this alien from the West. With one of his hands he grabbed the ronin by the throat and the other hand by his shirt and raised him over his head. Mugen smiled and nodded slightly.

"Wait! Wait! I can make you wealthy you name it and you can claim it sort of deal!" the samurai yelled.

"Now flee to the crater you crawled from!" Isaac roared. Then he threw the ronin through the air like a rag doll. Screaming all the way down he landed on a cluster of wooden barrels and fish traps.

"Now that's the only way to take out the trash," Mugen commented with a grin. For the most part he knew Isaac to be a very docile giant. However; he knew when pushed to the limit at certain places they went they saw another side of his personality. "I also didn't know that you were a poet."

"Who? Me? Oh yeah, that was a line from a play that I am directing and staring in here in this city," the large Dutchmen explained with a wide smile.

"Whoa! Whoa! You mean your not actually here illegally?" Mugen asked scratching his head.

"I struck a deal with the shogun, I promised to lower prices for the next season of our Dutch sugar and fruit harvest when we come to do business here."

"I thought those bigots that ran this country didn't want you guys around that much."

"That is the time we make a lot of sales here and as much as the government hates us they will still do business with us. So if I get to go through with my productions at the theatre the merchants in this country will save a little money from the Dutch Indian trading industry. So everbody vins!"

Mugen never thought that he would see this light hearted giant idiot rise to become a Japanese luminary. However, it also did surprise him either because he was a very clever individual despite his funny and strange personality.

"Well thanks for help again dude! Hope your play kicks ass!"

"Where are you going?"

"I gotta meet that girl Fuu, you remember her right?"

"Of course I do, cute girl with a pink kimono isn't that what you call it. I myself met a beautiful Jap girl here. You could say that I am shopping on the other side of the street." Mugen grinned at him and shook his head.

Then the two old ally's went in different directions, but would hopefully meet again.

_**That character Isaac is from the 7**__**th**__** episode Stranger Searching. Well it looks like Jonomaru is going to try and get a hold of Mugen where ever he is. Also some of those of the Nagatomi gang are still at large in some corners of Japan (they were those bastards in the 3**__**rd**__** and 4**__**th**__** episodes. **_


	7. Thoughtful Theatrics

Thoughtful Theatrics

_**Shonk! Shonk! Shonk! **_Tranquilly the sand and dirt his sneaker-like boots kicked up rose and then faded as it descended. Above the ex-pirate there were large structures that were well lit by many vivacious and dancing burning torches of light. He was now in the center of town again and he could feel his instinctive guard ease like the pain of wound after being well treated.

_Damn! That was too close! _Mugen thought sweeping his long split end bangs out of his eyes. Very rarely did he ever meet an opponent that was on par with him, and it was even more rare that a bunch of goons manager to get the better of him. Nonetheless, every time he drew his sword or woke to meet the chaos of another day he had to confront that variance of danger on a multitude of levels. Being brought up in a tough world and being crafted well in its image had certainly helped him with dealing with this conflict, and also the fact that he always had the ability to adapt to things well. _I gotta say I recognize this place a lot more than that last looneyvill. _

Mugen was quite right, Oge-omati was a lot more traditional and in some ways more upscale than Tinker Town. Part of that reason was the fact that there were so many government officials that hung out and did business in this city, as well as the many merchants that came to do business with other merchants form other lands. The structures of the city were a bit more conventional in their architecture like the buildings of mainland China and Korea. The people dressed also much more traditional and so did they speak. Standing outside a Western influenced brewery he saw a large man carrying a couple of barrels talking to a smaller man with a pamphlet. The sight of him reminded him of Isaac; Strong, yet gentle and always more than happy to lend a hand. I thought I would have seen him again, especially after he was supposed to get his hide deported. It was strange when he met people that he hadn't seen for some time. For him it was like opening a door that seemed like it was better left shut and did not attempt to attract interest. Whenever he did meet someone though he once had good relations with it was almost like a gift in the Ryu-Kan's eyes. This was partly true because the many people he met he almost always had either ill connections or had left things in a negative state. He yawned lazily and walked down the road that led to his inn for the night.

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Not far from the docks there was a large warehouse. Complete darkness in and outside the building seemed infinite and forged a very eerie atmosphere. While Oge-mati was a fairly well to do city it also had its downsides. Because of rival yakuza gang battles and disputes between ronin clans business had slightly slowed down, and some once active warehouses became dim and dormant lifeless structures. _**Crreeek!**_ One of the doors opened slightly and a small group of people quickly snuck inside the gloomy building. The leader of the small group lit a torch. It was the man in the blue robe that had aided in jumping Mugen at the docks. With tender vigilance he opened a trap door in the floor. The wood that the door was composed of was brittle and damp, it really seemed like it was on its last legs. He motioned for the other three to follow him. Quietly they all descended into the sinister and dark depths of the warehouse basement, in some ways it was like walking down a dark path to hell. It was pitch black and with out the light from the torch they carried it seemed as if they couldn't tell where the floor and the ceiling was. Carefully the leader of the bandits placed the torch in a metal sheath after lighting another torch. Two of his other comrades walked to the opposite side of the long dim room and lit two more torches. Now the room started to glow garishly.

There wasn't much in the room except for a few crates and a rudimentary looking wooden table. One of the former Nagatomi gang members sat on a crate and the leader of the group rested his head on one of the cool stone walls of the basement. Even though they were all deeply entrenched in the secrecy and protection of their hideout no one said a word to anyone. It seemed as if the only noises that rebounded off the walls were the heavy noises of their frustrated panting and pacing across the room. One of the lesser members of the coalition eventually broke the silence.

"Man this is bad, I mean real freakin bad!" It seemed as if something was haunting him and his thoughts. "Who the hell was that guy?"

"I don't know but what I do know is that this country is going awkward. When the hell did it become legal for European savages to be running around in the streets?" One of the former Nagatomi members snarled.

"If true yakuza ran this place we would never allow them or their antics to go around plaguing our streets," another man said rubbing his head. "However; some of them would make awesome body gaurds though."

"Yeah I heard of that group they call the basket brigades, they're from this far away country called Holland. I wonder if they have any good drinks or broads out that way." The two thugs that weren't Nagatomi gang members seemed tough but also seemed like they knew a little bit more about the world around them. Suddenly one of the former Nagatomi members slammed his tanto knife on the table. All eyes even the man in the blue robe looked over at him. His name was Namiko and he was once known to be one of the roughest fighters in the world of the yakuza. His teeth were dark and decayed, like the innards of his soul. This thug was also known not just for his brutal reputation as a fighter but also his determination and persistence. Essentially this is also why Namiko always found work with the yakuza was his reliability more so than his fierce nature.

"We are walking the edge of a freakin razor right now, and even if we are careful as cats we can still get cut pretty bad. Jonomaru has hired other thugs to get this Mugen bastard why don't we withdraw for a little while until we can get some more information on him and these thugs from the West." When Namiko spoke everybody listened.

"Have you forgotten your true objective?" everyone shifted their attention to one of the corners of the room to the man in the blue rob. His name was Sabukai, he had worked for the Nagatomi gang and a nation wide yakuza called the Green Dragon. He also found work with numerous gangs because of his ability to utilize and implement strategies that were both cunning and clever. "I can't believe you lost sight of the prize, even though its bigger than any yakuza has ever seen."

"Where are you going with this?!" Namiko growled vulgarly.

"Don't worry; we'll get that punk but in the mean time we need to finish what we started." Heads nodded across the room with agreement. "Tomorrow is the opening night of The Merchant Of Edo, and Shogun official Reyusoki will be going to that same show." Everyone else in the room honed in on his every word as if he were giving them exact directions to the heavens. "A the co director of that play is one of my thugs and several of the chorus girls and back up dancers for the mist dance scene are also a group of my finest assassins. From the outside of the theatre Namiko you will storm the entrance and prevent anyone from leaving or from reinforcements from arriving.

"It will be my pleasure," Namiko answered.

"Reyusoki is going to be expecting his niece to attend this production with him, however, she'll be quite late." Crouching down he brushed some dust off the stone floors and revealed another trap door. He opened it and revealed what was tucked inside it. There was a dark haired girl tied up and gagged by a piece of cloth. "Either he meets our demands and resigns from his position, or we'll show him just how creative we can be with her." The girl's eyes widened like white shields before burying her face in the sand she was lying in.

"No one will even see the hint of this gig coming," Sabukai remarked with an evil grin.

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Fuu combed her hair and sat down in front of small dresser in her room. On top of the dresser sat a beautiful glass mirror brought over from Europe. She loved them because she could see all her features perfectly well. When ever she got the chance to use one of these mirrors it felt as if she was another person looking into her own eyes. Her long brown hair flowed down from her scalp and down her shoulder like a heap of beautiful russet bear fur. Swiftly and gently she brushed her hair like she was tending to the needs of an anciet Egyptian queen. Abruptly, she heard her bed room door slide open roughly. Peering over her shoulder she saw Mugen step in the room.

He raised his hand in a hey-what's-up gesture then ambled his way over to where he slept on the floor. Languidly he fell to his knees and rolled over on his side. Fuu noticed something about him; he seemed not only exhausted but also annoyed for some reason. And there were some bruises on his arm that she didn't recognize.

"Did you find it?" she asked not trying to sound intrusive.

"Yep," he answered in his usual low and apathetic voice. Reaching into his pocket he grabbed the necklace and flung it out over to the mats where she was going to be sleeping for the night.

"Thank you," she said with a smile. Even though there were times where it almost came across that he didn't give a damn about anything in the world, he always managed to make Fuu smile or make her feel like she had a companion that would never leave her side regardless of what the world decided to throw at them. Still, she didn't feel totally comforted, something was greatly bothering Mugen and it was now starting to tug at her emotions. "You okay?" she didn't want to invade him because she knew all to well how defensive he could become in seconds. Mugen took his time to respond, then a few expected and irritated words flew up from where he laid.

"I'm fine," he answered scratching his side. Fuu took a deep breath as if she were about to go pearl diving. It was never an easy task getting a straight answer from Mugen, and it was even harder for him to convey anything he felt for something. Charily, Fuu chose her words and decided to try the impossible, or what she thought was.

"Who are you trying to convince Mugen," she said sternly. He looked up from where he laid with eyes burning with defensive fire. "Me or you?" Fuu was determined to get what she desired so deeply. A smug-like grin curled across Mugen's face.

"I ain't tryin to convince anybody, I'm stating the obvious."

"You might find it to be quite black and white, but all I see when I gaze upon you is gray Mugen," she tried to explain in a soothing voice. Mugen shook his head at her and rolled over on his side and faced the wall next to him.

"Why do you become so difficult sometimes?" her voices pitch was starting to rise.

"Why do you always have to question me to death, huh?" that was one of his favorite cards to play. When ever it seemed like Fuu greatly desired to know something or merely just lend a hand, he always would sway from her or put up an invulnerable wall of ignorance. All she ever sought after was his safety, his opinion, condition, or just simply him. Painfully she looked away from him and glared down at her lap. The hand that clutched her brush was starting compress its handle tighter and tighter like a lobster claw gradually crushing its prey.

"Maybe, because I care; and you know that for a fact," she spoke this time her voice sounded more pained with sorrow and nuisance. Sharply a savory tear glinting in the warm candle light of their room rolled down her cheek. Mugen looked over his shoulder again and saw that she looked like she was slipping into a true state of depression and not some little act of mellow drama.

_Dammitt _he thought angrily. Now that Fuu was plagued with depression and isolation it was not going to be viable for him to catch a few Z's. He pushed himself off of the floor and walked over to where Fuu sat at her dresser. Like a lover embracing another lover he put his arm around her and whispered in his ear that there was nothing to worry about. "You know it's going to take more than even broken bones to keep me down," he whispered gently. Calmly he guided her from where she sat and laid down with her. Fuu was still hurt nonetheless, but it did make her feel a little bit better now that he declared what he thought and how he was.

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The next day was a beautiful day on so many levels. The day before had rained dreadfully for hours and hours straight in the down town area stifling production and business for many individuals. Now it seemed as if the gods themselves wanted to pay the people back with the infinite glistening rays of the sun. It was also a very prolific day for Fuu and Mugen as well.

Fuu was more shocked than an unlucky gambler winning the mega-bucks when she heard that Mugen had found a job. Half of her had a hard time believing him, but this time it was true. Instead of kabuto-beetle sumo wrestling he was working as a body guard for this merchant who had owned a blacksmith shop. Recently he had heard the word that yakuza thugs had started to emerge again and that people were getting jacked on the streets and were finding things missing from their shops. Mugen told her that he had found that job that morning when the merchant himself saw him back off a horde of punks from shaking down this old man. Fuu had found a job working at a tea house like the one that she had met Mugen and Jin at. She had heard the owner complaining that he didn't have anyone who wanted to work the lunch hours due to their high volume of customers. Both of them had a chance to earn a little extra cash and because they always had people around them they felt the safety of possible eye witnesses incase if they were attacked, Fuu felt this level of security in a big way. This job was great for Mugen, he for one had a great deal of experience. What was also beneficial was the fact that he had a chance to gather some information about some of these remerging yakuza criminals and what were their motives. Around six o'clock his shift ended and the other body guard came in to take his place. When Mugen got back to his hotel room the only thing he wanted to do was sleep.

_**Boomp! **_He crashed like a thousand stone towers on the floor. _Damn I haven't had to walk that far in a long freakin time! _Staring up at the ceiling he started to look back on the days events. The merchant had a lot of errands to run and lots of people to meet which meant Mugen had a lot of walking to do. It had been a long time since he had walked so much and so far within one day. At least now he was at his temporary home and it felt better than anything else to rest, well, better than most things that is. Suddenly the door of his inn room slid open with such speed it caused the sheets he slept on to wave and ripple. Jumping to his feet and sword in hand he saw that there was no reason to prepare for battle; it was only Fuu.

"Geeze, and you think I'm too aggressive sometimes," Mugen commented sitting back down.

"I'm sorry but you won't actually believe what happened to me today!" she said with a smile that could light all of Edo.

"Well it's not her time of the month for sure," he said under his breath lying back down.

"I waited on like a zillion customers, and they all gave me excellent tips!"

"Not bad."

"And here is the greatest thing, I ran into you know who." Fuu's voice rose with every word she said.

"No, I actually don't know who," Mugen responded trying to not pay attention to her.

"It was the Dutchman!" Suddenly Mugen's eyes widened and his attention span increased. "He was with this cute chick he had just met, though I always thought he shopped on the other side. Isaac, that's what his real name was; he also mentioned he thought that he saw you the other night."

_Wow! I can see that he still stays honest_Mugen thought rolling his eyes,

"And to top off everything, along with his very generous tip, he gave me these." Mugen looked up from where he was laying on the floor. He could see two strips of paper with those Japanese characters written on them.

"What the hell are they?"

"There two tickets to see his play tonight The Merchant Of Edo." Mugen didn't want to spoil her mood by telling her his real encounter with the Dutchmen.

He knew in the back if his mind that Jonomaru was still out there and now there were yakuza that were siding with him. However; staying one more night couldn't hurt. For the most part the city's security force was strong and a theatre would be the last place a bunch of thugs would strike. Mugen also had heard through the grape vine that a very powerful Shogunate official was coming to the city to see Isaac's play. Regardless of what adversaries awaited for them, seeing Fuu in such a bubbly and cheerful mood actually made Mugen feel like a different person. He felt happy and almost complete, two emotions that had been total strangers to him for most of his life.

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Later that night they both set out for the theatre house. With the money they made they got a rickshaw to carry them to their location. While Mugen was never really crazy about them he did admit that it did beat walking after a long hard day of work. When they got to the theatre house they were astounded by the number of people that had shown up. Crowds after crowds flurried into the large bamboo structure. Many were congregating and laughing, while others looked like they could have done with out the noise.

_This couldn't have played out better _Mugen thought. With all these flocks of people it would be suicide for any of Jonomaru's hired hands to show up. However, he knew that Jonomaru had been known to take on missions that seemed almost entirely futile.

"Isn't this place the coolest," Fuu said tugging on Mugen's arm.

"It ain't too shabby, I wonder if they got any sake or potatoes here." Fuu shook her head at him.

_Boy does he have a one track mind _she thought. Aside from eating, fighting, and chasing girls this was something new for him. Deep down she hoped that he would enjoy it and would start to open up to different things in life. Fuu remembered when she went to her first NO theatre play when she was young. There was music, and dancing, and the costumes made the actors look like creatures from something that fell straight out of her dreams.

When they got inside the auditorium they felt like a crew of gladiators shoving through a see of barbarians. It was so crowded. People to left, people to the right, all talking some laughing, others even having a pre show drink.

"That guy's got the right idea!" Mugen declared pointing to a man tossing a flask back in his robe. Huge golden lion sculptures embellished both the far right and left side of the stage. Their ruby red eyes made them resemble the demonic guardians of the underworld. Fuu couldn't believe the height of the ceiling of the auditorium, and the enormous stage that was before them.

_Wow! These places are really like what I've read about! _Even though there had been numerous complaints about building Western influenced structures many Japanese architects found a lot of design attributes in Western architecture. Because of its size and width it could easily fit a large number of viewers. Before most kabuki theatres were small and only available to samurai, shogunate officials, and the affluent. Now all could come and view the productions.

"Hey buddy I didn't ask for your soul, I asked ya to get the hell outta my way!" Mugen rumbled as he pushed passed another gauntlet of attendants. Fuu and Mugen eventually got a nice spot right in the center of the third row. A few minutes receded and at finally everyone had found a seat and the curtain drew open. There was a beautiful backdrop of an emerald green forest with a great sea of crashing waves flanking it from the right side, and mountains to the left. Suddenly a beautiful flute interlude gracefully filled the auditorium with melodic and tranquil notes. From the right side a person in a kabuki outfit dressed in black swayed moved in sync with the melodies with the hidden flute player. Fuu was amazed how well the dancer could harmonize his movements with the music that streamed and surged through the air. Moving his hands and his feet in various directions and occasionally holding a specific position to emphasize certain segments of the song. Fuu looked over at Mugen, she was shocked to see how his mind looked like it was drawn into the performance so deeply.

"Isn't it just beautiful," she whispered in his ear.

"If this doesn't have swords I'm not interested," Mugen responded crossing his arms. Even though he didn't fully admit it he appeared to be liking the performance quite a bit. Abruptly the soothing and eloquent melodies of the flute player were drowned out by the thunder of profound heavy bass drums. Out from the right side of the stage another kabuki dressed all in black somersaulted across to center stage. Gradually the dark dancer rose, and as he raised to his feet the many drums began to gain tempo and their pitch rose to a very high octave. The demonic dancer began to throw his body around in aggressive and sadistic dance movements. The white kabuki cart-wheeled then back flipped away from this new character. The dark kabuki came swinging at him but he blocked every move. Then they both side stepped away from each other. Fuu could feel her adrenalin levels rise with the energy and reverence that kabuki dancer's movements created. Mugen was now leaning on the edge of his seat watching carefully and admirably. Then the voice of the narrator boomed from behind stage.

"And so it began! Two souls, two demons, from completely different realms, were now about to meet. However; while they may represent light and darkness, they both share the same path!"

_Who does that remind me of _Fuu thought looking over at Mugen. Something about these two demons fighting and repelling each other reminded her of Mugen and Jin.

"And yet there is one person in this dark and brutal world that may be able to help balance the eternal powers! Our adventure takes us to the country side where our hero resides," the booming voice of the narrator spoke. The curtains swept across the stage like ghosts across the skin of the water in a lake. When they reopened there was a small bridge with flowers and a man watering them. It was Isaac! He was even dressed in a similar fashion the day they had met him with his brown pants and white sleeveless shirt. After watering a few plants he leaned his great big arms on the railing of the bridge. Then a great smile came across his face. Deeply he inhaled like a dragon preparing to torch a city. Then he belted out his song of the scene.

"Oh what a beautiful moorrning! Oh what a gorgeous daaay! Everything seems so perfect I don't feel any emotion that seems graaaaay! Yes its all so amazing, yet how can it be true!" He sung as he leaned off the bridge and walked down one side of it. "The water it flows so high, I feel the heat from the vibrant sky, the roses are red as a tengu's eye, I truly am happy I tell you know lyyyyyyyye!"

Fuu was extremely impressed with Isaac's vocal range and clarity. He could sing better than she had ever expected. Generally Kabuki had a narrator and the actors were accompanied by music, not vocal songs. She thought this blend of Japanese and European theatrics was something truly revolutionary. Mugen couldn't believe his ears or eyes; he had never expected an ambiguous person like him could be so talented.

_Owner of the Dutch trading biz! Good melee fighter, accomplished singer! Dammitt what can't this freak do! _Mugen thought. Suddenly a cloud of smoke exploded next to Isaac. Mugen almost fell out of his chair; Fuu also felt the concussion of the blast. When the smoke cleared a hooded man in a dark cloak stood silently. Isaac gradually and cautiously backed away from the figure.

"What are you?!" he questioned in a defensive and guarded voice.

"I come bearing you or these land no harm!" the dark hooded figure spoke in a deep and almost mechanical sounding voice. "I can see that you love this world and the great thrills and feelings of euphoria you receive from it!"

"This is true!" Isaac responded sounding more powerful and with a straight back.

"Then my message is of great meaning to you! Right now the forces of light and darkness have become unstable and their conflicts could mean the end of the exquisite cycle of this world."

"What must I do?!" Isaac asked reaching with both of his hands forward as if he were trying to reach a wounded soldier.

"Go to the city of Edo, there you will meet Sasukami, he is a mere merchant but he has something that will aid you in your mission!"

"Thank you spirit of the heavens!"

"Good luck mortal, and may the power of the souls of this land be with you!" _**Kaboom! **_Another dark smoke cloud exploded in front of the spirit. When the smoke cleared the spirit was gone and Isaac was left alone again on the bridge.

"Now it is up to me! I must do what is noble, and protect what is mine and the people's of this land! I must defend what can not be defended!" He bellowed in a deep and booming voice. Fuu was also impressed with his acting skills. The curtains swept in again from both sides as Isaac triumphantly walked down the bridge with his head held high.

When the curtains reopened there were a forest scene and a couple of young boys fishing by a river. The river was a series of blue wooden cut outs of waves. On both sides of the stage there was an operator moving the wave sheets back and forth.

"Today I'm going to catch one longer than my pole!"

"Well that's not very long," the other boy said with a wink. The audience released a small burst of chuckles at that comment; and so did Fuu and Mugen. "Hey there was this one I caught the other day and guess what it looked like!"

"What did it look like?"

"It looked like your mooom!" Then he fell over laughing.

"Idiot," the other boy remarked. "Then she would've been your mom too." The audience laughed again like a whole flock of vigorous birds chirping in sync. _**Thump! Thump! Thump!**_ Pounding footsteps of some person echoed through the auditorium. All of the audience's attention shifted over to the far right of the stage. Isaac came charging out like a rushing legionnaire and came to a halt in his tracks in the middle of the stage.

"Naraguna where are you rushing to?" the two brothers asked.

"Good morning Risoku brothers but I am on an errand of up most importance!" Isaac spoke doing his best to stand straight like a soldier.

"What has happened?"

"An omen appeared this morning and warned me of the spiritual powers of light and darkness becoming unbalanced! And that in order to prevent this colossal conflict from occurring I would have to seek aid in the city of Edo!"

"I see," one of the brothers said responded with a nod.

"We will help you Naraguna, we can both think of plenty of times you helped us out of some real dire situations."

"You mean he helped you out!" one of the brothers declared sharply.

"Hey what ya tryin to say!"

"There is no time to lose! Follow me!" with that said Isaac dashed forward and the two brothers looked at each. With a small shrug they both darted after Isaac. The curtains once again glided across the stage and closed off the background to the audience. The story was getting more interesting by the minute. The next slew of scenes really captured the hearts of the audience.

As Isaac and his companions marched through the green hills they encountered various people and bartered for numerous supplies and for shelter. In some ways this story reminded both Fuu and Mugen of their adventures. The songs, the melodic musical pieces that went along with the fluid and eloquent and sometimes humorous movements of the dancers all filled both of their hearts full of wonder and elation. Neither of them had seen such an upscale or well produced performance in their lives. In some ways both of them started to have second thoughts about getting driven from Tinker Town. Now they were both enjoying something they would have never enjoyed. Fuu felt the warmth and roughness of Mugen's hand rub up on her thigh. She could see him lean over to her in the quarter of her left eye. Gently she leaned her ear over to his mouth to hear what he was going to say.

"I never thought I'd say this but thank you," he whispered and turned his attention back to the performance. Fuu felt her heart freeze like the surface of a lake in the middle of a harsh winter. What was he thanking her for, but even more out of the blue he actually placed those same two words in a sentence. Fuu turned her head and leaned over to his ear.

"I don't care for what but your welcome," she whispered. Mugen grinned happily. Something he hadn't done in a very long time.

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Across the street on top of a roof of another structure Namiko waited patiently. He had one foot set on the head of stone sculpture of and eagle and rested his forearm across his thigh muscle, both of his keen eyes pierced the roof of the other structure. He stood in complete inertia, gradually building his spirit and conserving his energy for the attack. On the roof of the other structure a woman in a green with golden sparkled kimono stepped out. Namiko pulled out his binoculars; he got them from Portuguese tradesmen a while ago. Playfully and flirty-like she waved her fan.

"Excellent," Namiko remarked. "Its getting very close to intermission, and it's about time for my mission to really begin."

_**To be continued…….. Obviously **_

_**In the section where they are talking about those guys called the Basket Brigade, there those Dutch merchants and soldiers in the episode Stranger Searching with the guys that where the woven baskets over their heads. Figured I'd make that clear for those of you **_


	8. Thoughtful Theatrics: Second Act

_**Thoughtful Theatrics: Second Act **_

_**Now this chap has everything! Action, comedy, Mugen free- styling (yes you read that right) we learn a few new interesting things about Mugen's past, and the conclusion of the chaos that has been following these two misfits! **_

The intermission was quite welcomed by both Mugen and Fuu. Fuu loved the opportunity to stretch her legs and hear the chattering voices. When she had been watching the play she felt like she had been sent to another dimension, or that she was looking straight into someone's dream. Mugen also appreciated the intermission because it featured two of his favorite commodities at the refreshment tables. There were baked potatoes and steaming potato wedges along with several full pitchers of sake. He quickly wolfed down a few handfuls of wedges belligerently and stuffed a potato in his pocket like a surreptitious thief at the market. In each hand he grabbed a small wooden cup of Sake.

Fuu bumped into a girl about her age and her older brother out in the hallways. For a few minutes they talked about the performance and what they thought of the performance so far. Both of them only had optimistic and positive remarks. Fuu agreed with them to the fullest.

"So are you here alone?" the girl asked with a bright smile.

"Not really," Fuu said looking around the crowd for that idiot ex-pirate. Searching through the sea of bobbing heads she didn't see anyone who remotely resembled him. _Oh where the hell is he, this is not the time or the place for him to pull his usual stunts! _

"I knew I'd find you!" a loud voice erupted behind her. Pivoting she met the first and last person she wanted to see at that moment. Mugen had a cup of sake in each hand. "Knock yourself out!" he said handing her a cup. The other two theatre goers looked at both of them with stone solid stares. Who was this bizarre stranger?

"To answer your question, this is him his name is-" Mugen cut her off with his own introduction.

"Names Mugen, don't ware it out before it wares you out! Infinity all the way baby!" He roared throwing a double devil horns with his right hand.

"Wow! I see you're a very passionate person," the girl's older brother commented. They both bowed to Mugen respectfully and said they had to meet up with some of their other friends. Mugen tried bowing and almost went head over heals.

"God he's in happy land again!" Fuu snarled under her breath. She certainly knew he was drunk because sharing and openly introducing himself to strangers were never his strong suits. Shaking her head at his impulsive behavior she tried a sip of her sake. It was delicious and her pretty russet eyes squinted with delight. Whoa! This is grade A stuff, I think I fell asleep once drinking this stuff." She was right because good quality sake always drifted her into a trance of complete ecstasy and console. Abruptly she felt an arm wrap around her shoulders and pull her head downwards.

"Mugen I don't even want to know why that was necessary," she sneered looking up at him. Mugen had his head and neck curled downwards and had his head tucked into his chest. He most certainly didn't want either of them seen by someone.

"Let's just say he is a dangerous combination. Well known, well liked, and really doesn't care much for me," Mugen whispered in her ear. Who was this man? Evidently he wasn't a street thug from his past and nor was he a Yakuza from what it sounded like. "His name is Reyusoki, and he is one hell of a powerful shogunate official." Fuu knew that he wasn't kidding. Peering over his left shoulder he noticed that the Reyusoki was looking in a different direction and was engaged in conversation. "Let' go some where else." The two of them walked to the other end of the long hallway and stood right next to the entrance to the stage auditorium.

"So what did you do to get this guy all fired up?" Fuu asked looking up at him.

"Oh not much actually; when I first arrived here I got a death sentence." Fuu's eye's stretched with awe and disbelief.

"What, how is that possible!"

"When I fled from the Ryu-Kyus to this part of the world me and several other fleeing people many of them felons were caught and sentenced to death for illegal intrusion," he said with making his fingers like quotation marks. "C'mon, your from these islands, you know their whole isolationist bigot attitudes towards people from the outside like me and Isaac." Fuu had always thought it was just for security purposes, a death sentence just seemed way out of line. "And just guess who has been in charge for the last decade on handling this issue," Mugen added.

"Enough said," Fuu remarked turning away from him. They were having an excellent evening and she didn't want anything to destroy it.

"Hey guys!" a voice wrung out. A jolt of fear and alarm struck their hearts and tightened their muscles. Who would know them in a place like this? Cautiously they both turned and saw that the person was none other than Isaac. Relief swept through them like the docile winds of the ocean across a quiet beach. On one of his arms he had a girl wearing a pink kimono similar to Fuu's. Her long black hair had been curled and rolled into a beautiful bun held by a pair of chopsticks. Her face was a pasty white with dark green eye make-up accenting her sharp slanted eyes. "This is my new girl named Taka," he introduced her with the wave of his long muscular arm. Fuu smiled sweetly and bowed. Mugen shot Isaac a you-got-it-man look and gave him a nod of his head. Taka bowed to them as well. Mugen thought she was hot, though Fuu thought she was wearing a little too much mascara. "Are you two enjoying the performance?"

"It's been great," Fuu answered happily.

"Couldn't have been done better," Mugen replied with a wink. "Shouldn't you be backstage?" Mugen always knew Isaac to be at the wrong place at the wrong time.

"I would but right now they are having some technical difficulties, so the intermission is going to be a bit longer than planned. Would either of you like to have a gander at what it is like back there?" Fuu bit her lip and thought about the offer for a little bit.

"Would I. Bet your hide I would," Mugen said with confidence.

"Come this way," Issac responded leading Mugen down one of the long hallways of the large room. Fuu had a pretty good idea why Mugen wanted to vanish behind stage. Until the play was back in session the auditorium was locked and he didn't want to keep avoiding Reyusoki for the next half hour. Fuu looked over at Taka and decided to start a conversation.

"So, how have things been with you and Isaac?"

"Oh he is such a wondrous and mysterious man. Very complicated he is as an individual, but very simple when it comes to his pleasures and emotions." Fuu had always thought that Isaac would have made a great husband, if he decided to work on that side of the block. "He's also a very strong, and I mean cunning man too if you catch my drift," Taka spoke seductively winking at Fuu.

_I bet he is. _

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Behind the stage Mugen did his best to look and seem interested. He admitted that he had never been behind one, and that it never really occurred to him as something he wanted to do. Looking all around there were huge sand bags hanging in the air and gigantic, looming, vibrant crimson curtains that shielded the backstage from the world outside.

"This long rope-like string here is used for drawing the curtains to begin and end the show," Isaac explained.

_Yep, yep, blah, blah, blah! _Mugen thought trying to keep things real.

"And back here we have the changing rooms." This suddenly grabbed Mugen's attention.

_Wonder if any of those chorus girls need a little exercise to get'em in the creative mood. _Mugen followed him over to the changing rooms; they were full of actors getting their make-up ready. In the far corner of the room he saw two of the chorus girls tying each others dress's up.

"Alright," Mugen smiled deviously.

"Isaac I thought you knew better," a voice spoke from behind him. They both turned to see a small man in a black robe.

"Oh yes, this is Shinigami our co-director," Isaac said.

"We're going to be on in just a few moments, so you better get ready and escort your guest out of here."

"Why sure, I'm surprised that they fixed what ever had broken so quickly, they said it had to deal with the curtain or was it something else?"

"I don't ask questions I just get on with the show, now get ready," he spoke walking pass them.

"I'm sorry I have to cut our tour a bit short," Isaac said.

"No problem man, you gotta do what you gotta do!" Isaac closed the door to the dressing room and Mugen walked away.

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Fuu got back to her seat in the audience. Pretty much everyone was seated and was waiting patiently for the show to begin. The crowd was starting to get a bit frustrated with this lengthy delay.

_Where on Earth is Mugen! If I didn't know any better than I think he's off chasing one of those chorus chicks! _Fuu thought angrily. Suddenly the candles that had been lit started to vanish and the focus was back on the stage as the room got darker. The curtains swept open and it was they were back at the scene in the middle of the markets of Edo. Issac was talking to a man who sat on the back of a wagon.

"How do I know that you are who you say you are?" Isaac questioned the stranger.

"Trust me I am the one you seek!" the stranger in the broad straw hat answered with a fiendish white smile.

"Then prove it."

"You'll have to follow me."

"Where to?" Isaac asked this time sounding a bit more suspicious.

"A place outside of town called the Oshima waterfall." Quickly the man jumped to the front of his wagon and grabbed the reigns of his horses. Isaac looked at the audience and rolled his eyes. "I guess I have little choice." Then Isaac jumped on the wagon as well. Even though the story was taking a very interesting twist she was still wondering where the hell Mugen was?

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"No flimsy little hoodlum is gonna deprive me a chance of a life time," Mugen spoke peering out from a treasure chest. It was a prop that wasn't going to be used till the last scene, so for now it was a great hiding spot. Suddenly he saw someone that looked very familiar dressed in dark grey clothing accompanied by several other men go walking into the changing room. "Damn! That dude looked very familiar." Stealthily Mugen crawled out of the treasure chest and across the floor. Smoothly, he placed his ear against the door. Knock! Knock! Knock! The sound of wooden getta sandals walking across the floor it was the actors playing the kabuki demons. Mugen spun away from the door and pushed his back straight up against the wall. When the door opened it provided him some cover and the two kabuki actors walked towards the backstage. When the door closed on its own Mugen went back up against it to listen to the congregation. Soon he started to decipher the voices and who was talking. One of the voices he recognized. _Hey I know who that bastard is! _It was Sabukai or as Mugen knew him as the guy in the blue robe that was working for Jonomaru.

"Just a few more minutes and we will be able to take this place in a single storm. I've already placed a couple of my men at the top of this structure with Western firearms and Chinese fireworks. Also Namiko is also planning his attack on the front entrance.

"What about Reyusoki?" Shinigami asked.

"A couple of my thugs are dressed up as waiters that were working over at the refreshment tables during the intermission. Once we take control of the stage they will have a little rendezvous with our shogunate friend." All the people in the room started to smile with poise; everything was going according to plan. They were about to follow through with their devious conspiracy with out any set backs, well, except for Mugen that is.

"Blast! Just when I thought I was getting away from all this horse piss, it seems that trouble just follows me everywhere, or is it I who seek," he said to himself. Then he suddenly smacked himself in the face_. Get with the frickin program! Since he did crash me last night I guess I wouldn't be a true Samaritan if I didn't pay him back. _

Inside the changing room Sabukai and his goons heard a knock on the door. The whole group's attention flowed over to the single door. They weren't expecting anyone else. Uneasiness and defensive emotions began to plague their minds and bring up their mental and physical guard. Sabukai motioned for one of his minions to go forwards and check the door. **Slaaam!** The door to the dressing room slammed open and knocked one of the goons to the floor. Mugen came cart-wheeling into the room with all the fearsome power and aura of a demonic god. Silence fell open the crew of cronies like a hammer on stone. It took Sabukai only a few seconds to realize who he was now that he got a good look at the intruder.

"How the hell? Well look who it is!" Sabukai sneered.

"Well you didn't do a very good job coming back after me so I decided to do the prep work for ya!" It went with out saying and everyone in the room went to jump Mugen. He took out the first thug with a quick head butt and knocked the next thug to the ground with a powerful frontal kick. Grabbing one of the dancing girl's shoes off the ground like a quick weasel he took out another thug with it bouncing it off his skull. Ducking under the slashing sword of another one of Sabukai's minions he clutched the long red Persian rug and pulled it out from under his adversaries with great haste. At least a half a dozen belligerent attackers went crashing to the ground sadistically with a vulgar thud. _This is just too easy!_ Mugen thought. Out of the corner of his eye he could see one of those chorus girls come leaping at him with a dagger drawn. Mugen plucked her out of the air with ease and tossed her straight into the other dancer. Both of them crumbled like sandstone to the floor. Straight ahead of him he could see that Sabukai was reaching for his own blade. Quickly he dove to the ground and somersaulted towards his opponent. Sabukai hesitated warily; at the very second Mugen rose to his feet he would deliver the killing blow. When Mugen snapped up to his feet he quickly dodged Sabukai's attack and withdrew the smaller wakashi sword from Sabukai's belt. Mugen's thief skills were really paying off in this fight. Growling Sabukai approached Mugen with a series of slicing swings and parried whatever Mugen tried to throw at him. Unexpectedly Mugen dropped to his hands and swung his feet under himself trying to trip up his opponent. As he rose from the floor he clashed with one of the chorus girls again. Easily he pushed her away and dispatched her as she fell with a vertical slash of his sword. Sabukai came at him again this time he almost knocked Mugen's lights out. Swinging for his head Mugen intuitively and instinctively raised his blade to guard himself. The power behind Sabukai's blade caused him to stagger backwards inelegantly. Sabukai followed this offensive move with a fast thrust of his katana. Mugen side-stepped it and knocked another goon to the floor with a kick. Lifting his sword high Sabukai leaped forwards and brought his blade down and missed Mugen's right elbow by mere inches, and then parried Mugen's counter swipe.

_Dammitt! This punk does not what the hell he's doing with that blade! I think I'm gonna have to take this brawl elsewhere. _Mugen hated to admit it but this Sabukai was backing up his Nagatomi and mercenary status with his admirable skills of the sword. He was rapid, potent, calculated, and always to the point by not wasting any moves. Almost like the way Jin fought. Every movement he made turned into a lethal strike or defensive action. The current environment was also not adding to Mugen's advantage. The room was fairly small and in close quarters he was not the most efficient fighter. If he were to be successful he had to take this fight to a wider playing field. Sabukai made a strong sweeping sword stroke at Mugen's feet. Mugen jumped over it with a toe jump and kicked two goons that were closing in on him; then he cart-wheeled away through the open doorway behind him. Sabukai growled, he knew he had to eradicate this vagabond before he blew their cover. Running out of the room he looked around the backstage area fiercely.

"Yyyyoo!" a voice from above called. Sabukai did not look up to see his adversary nor did he pivot in the direction of where the voice had called from. From the darkness of the ceiling the ex-pirate dropped down towards his enemy sword in hand like a demonic being of the night. Promptly Sabukai dropped to one knee evading Mugen's attack. However; while Mugen missed his head he severed his top-knot. Sabukai rose to his feet and glared at Mugen with raging dark eyes. "I think that was a pretty good warm up," Mugen spoke pivoting to meet his opponent's livid gaze resting his wakashi blade on his shoulder. "Now show me what you can really do?" Sabukai snorted and quickly approached Mugen not trying to make much noise as he dashed across the hard wood floor. As he inhaled crisply he swung his blade at Mugen's head, the buccaneer quickly side stepped. Again and again he unleashed a deadly combo of strikes and stabs, but Mugen either sidestepped his attacks or parried them on his fast pivoting feet. Now that he had so much more room for him to move around it made fighting Sabukai that much easier. "I see the tables might have swung in someone's direction," Mugen grinned ducking beneath one of Sabukai's deadly slashes.

"Nonsense!" Sabukai growled slashing out at Mugen's feet. Spinning backwards Mugen back flipped over his blade and onto a cluster of crates and perched himself on all four limbs like a stalking cat. Jumping up on a box of props Sabukai made another swipe at Mugen. Mugen blocked his attack and then knocked him off the box with a firm kick. The former Nagatomi gang member went crashing backwards and released a loud thud when his body hit the floor. Mugen jumped down be side him and looked at his nails in a nonchalant manner.

"I really hope you're done warming up because I'm ready to get this show off the road." Mugen's confidence and haughtiness fell like a deck of cards as he saw his opponent's blade come back for his throat once again. Vigorously Mugen parried his attacker showering hundreds of gleaming sparks. Mugen backpedaled feverishly, parring or evading Sabukai's onslaught of attacks. One of the blade swings made by his opponent almost caused him to stagger.

"Don't seem so cocky now that your in a closed area again," Sabukai hissed. Mugen did not answer verbally but with a sharp grin. Horizontally Sabukai brought his blade down and just barely missed Mugen who threw himself to the floor. Sabukai looked down at his fallen enemy and prepared his katana for the final blow. Rolling over on his back Mugen didn't even seem the least bit worried about this and pointed upwards. Glancing to where he was pointing Sabukai noticed a huge slash in the drawn curtain of the stage. Warily he looked over to his far left and realized that once again Mugen had been strategizing. They were both on the very edge of the back stage and in a few feet Mugen could easily dash right out into the center stage. _Blast! I hope Namiko follows through with his plans!_ And fortunately For Sabukai he did. A couple of guards that had not been present at the beginning of the play were now standing there with their hands on their hilts of their swords. High above in one of the auditorium mezzanines Reyusoki watched the play insightfully; he was really getting into the plot of this story. He was totally insensible to the altercation that was occurring behind stage or the small bunch of thugs that were closing in from behind him. As long as Mugen didn't blow his cover his plan was going to flow nicely.

"Don't you dare make another move!" Sabukai snapped in a low voice. He had been focusing so much energy on driving Mugen out of the backstage area he didn't realize where they had ended.

"Or what?" Mugen retaliated in a calm and devious voice.

"You have no idea what we have been planning all this-" Mugen cut him off sharply.

"I know exactly what you have been planning all this merry little time! You wanted to get rid of the same bastard I wanted to see get knocked off his bitchin thrown along freakin time ago." Sabukai had not expected this. However, he did notice that Mugen was not from Japan and he knew of Reyusoki's business with foreign affairs. "It's a good plan I'll give ya that much but it has one tiny problem."

"What would that be?"

"I'm not the one knockin him off his rocker, now if that had been in there it would have been golden." Sabukai's eyebrows curled in a very angry manner, he was going to kill this nuisance one way or the other. With out any further comments he drove his sword downward in an attempt to finish Mugen off for once and for all. Mugen rolled away skillfully and cart-wheeled up from the ground and followed it with a flashy back handspring. When his vision went back to its normal state he noticed right where he was. He was in the center of the stage. Extreme silence fell across the room for a few brief seconds, and then gasping voices started to fill the air. It was the battle scene between the two kabuki demons right before the mist dance. One stood at each end of the center stage on opposite sides of Mugen. Even though both of the actors' faces were covered with make up looks of severe astonishment extended across their faces. Mugen suddenly felt his mind go stalemate; what was his next move. To the audience he just appeared to be another altercating thug. Also he was right before the eyes of Reyusoki, who did vaguely, recognized him. Though it didn't matter if he did or didn't, he obviously figured that Mugen was not part of the act. Fuu at first felt a cold hand clutch her heart at the sight of him, then her shocked notions turned dark with rage.

"Mugen, just once, just once is all I ask could you not bring hell to something so tranquil and complete," She growled gnashing her teeth and slapping her forehead. Mugen who had been the virtuoso of amalgamation of thinking and striking on instinct in an ever so flamboyant manner had suddenly felt his mind slide into a state of complete inertia. Sabukai smiled he saw his thugs at the doors for the entrance and knew that know that everyone was in a state of shock it would be that much easier to overthrow the auditorium. Abruptly everything important in Mugen's mind ceased to exist, he figured out a way to win. He could try and wove their fight into the scene. Pointing his wakashi blade at his opponent Mugen smiled once again with confidence and pride.

"So you thought you could claim these demons and this land, I think not!" The whole crowd threw themselves back a bit and again gasped with shock and now with an evolving interest in these two random characters. Fuu had never heard Mugen speak in such an articulate and self-assured comportment.

"I see I spoke to soon," she sighed softly. Even though he spoke in a cool and traditional manner she knew that it was just the building block for more trouble to escalate. Quickly Sabukai drew his sword and dashed at Mugen from the far right end of the stage. Looking down at his foe's pounding feet Mugen noticed one of the floor boards had become loose. _Man I attract luck like the way gold does babes! _Stepping forwards he stepped on one end of the board and that brought the other end upwards and pounded Sabukai in the chin viciously. Both the kabuki actors ran to opposite sides of the stage, neither of them wanted to get caught in the crossfire. Isaac and a couple other actors watched from the far right side of stage. Isaac started to realize with out the Kabuki actors present and after knocking that stranger to the ground he was looking more like the bad guy even though Isaac knew exactly who Mugen's adversary was. He was one of those thugs that had jumped him the previous night. Abruptly Isaac realized how he could make this look more like an act than an altercation.

"**How daarrrre youuuuuuuu**!" his voice sang in a booming low octave from off stage. Climbing to his feet Sabukai looked over his shoulder at where the voice had sounded from. "**Hooowww Daarrre Youuuuuuuuu**!" he sung with power and again this time stepping out on the stage. It was starting to look more like part of the play now. People started to settle down and continued to watch it in suspense of what the next big surprise was going to be. **"So you thought you could win in such an eeeeeaasssy battle, but you are much more like a peasent up the creek with out a paaaaddle!"** Isaac really knew what he was doing when it came to improvisation in song. Sabukai lurched upwards but Isaac pounded him to the ground.

**"Now I have vanquished thy truest foe!"** he belted. Turning to the audience he started to realize that everyone was more confused than a young man trying to figure out his girlfriends emotions. The audience had no idea how Mugen and Sabukai related to the storyline and what emphasis they brought to the plot. Mugen realized that he had to keep the fire burning and had to strike while the iron was hot with his own form of improvisation.

**"So you think you're so hilarious but by the way walk and talk I'd swear you're anything but vicarious. **

**You've gotta **_**learn**_** that messin with me is like pickin a fight with the divine guys, I'll beat you so bad your **_**sperm**_** will also have black eyes.**

**I'm the god that's settin traps causing your plans to collapse and playing all the pranks, I'll beat your army like your girl I spanked! And some other things I did to her too, but I won't tell you; because I want to see you use your imagination and fall down and cry like a bitch in devestation!" **

Mugen had lyrically pummeled Sabukai right back down to the ground. In many ways his sadistic and raw poetry had taken his breath away more effectively than any injury he had ever sustained. For a few seconds his mind didn't really register any real cognition.

"**See you can't even think, ya just stare like a dumb ass and occasionally blink, while I wink at the crowd who cheers for me out loud, and fills me with power only to make you regret your last hours in the world, so do you have anything to say or do just feel like ya wanna hurl!" **

The audience boomed with laughter. It was very rudimentary and crude lyrics he had chosen for his poem off the top of his head, but it they were witty and funny at the same time. Fuu almost fell out of her seat, she had never seen him use his vulgar personality in such a strange and humorous manner Also since the crowd thought that Sabukai was the villain they liked to see him get dissed. Sabukai saw at the far end of the stage that his men were approaching, and in seconds they were going to take control of the auditorium. The audience had bought into this act so he figured it was best for him to play into it and threw his hands down to the stage floor.

"I surrender, I am not worthy of the powers of the kabuki!"

"You bet!" retorted Mugen. Suddenly he heard footsteps behind him, and looking off into the audience he could see several people with drawn katanas that he did not recognize. _Oh Dammitt! Looks like this fight isn't done yet_

_**WHAT A TWIIIIIIST! **_

**That vicious and vulgar poem was something I also came up with on the spot. I was thinking how Mugen would terrorize someone verbally but also creatively when I was working out tonight curling some iron. I started with one line and then I couldn't stop! In his swordsmanship we can see that he pieces his moves together and just makes things up! That's how I thought he would throw together an explosive poem! I hope you've enjoyed this story as much as I have had engineering it! **

**The end is still to come! Will Sabukai's trump card prevail! And can Mugen come up with a new strategy for defeating this gang for once and for all! **


	9. Thoughtful Theatrics: Grand Finale

_**Thoughtful Theatrics: The Grand Finale **_

_**Due to requests (and waving fan flag banners) I have decided to finish this segment of the series ASAP! This is the third and final installment for this section of the story and the show ends with a bang! **_

Mugen just couldn't strike at his opponents with out it looking like it was relevant to the show. He knew that pandemonium and panic would spark almost instantaneously and that would make things very complicated. Nonetheless, he had won the hearts of every soul in the crowd and he did feel more enigmatic than a god. He started to notice that Sabukai was rising to his feet and that his thugs were about to make their attack on the stage.

_Keep doin what your doin! _He thought vigilantly. Fuu and everyone in the audience had more faith in him than the Buddhist monks of the land and were totally captivated by his performance; he just had to keep things going. He turned to meet Sabukai's glaring eyes and continued his verbal assault.

**"Let me step back just a few, and let me tell you what you lack because its true, I bet you don't even understand what happened today, heard you lead a bunch a people to a great dismay."** Sabukai only stared at Mugen getting more infested with wrath as the seconds passed. Mugen winked at the crowd.

**"Let me ask you something Mr. **_**Emperor**_** why the hell did you just **_**condemn her**_**, because I believe you slept with her!**_**" **_Mugen spoke pointing to Fuu in the crowd. Again the room filled with booming voices. This worked to Mugen's benefit as it made things harder for his attackers to communicate. When the voices quieted down he unleashed another volley of insults. **Also could you tell me **_**please **_**while I'm bent on my knees****what **_**felonies **_**did I break because I'm chocking like a kid at a **_**spelling B. **_**Release us from your power man because nobody likes a guy who lies about a peace plan. You thought you had made a profit, until I showed up and ya'll lost it! I told ya I was unpredictable and inexplicable and so very dangerous, I appear and disappear like angel **_**dust**_**! Kinda like the superhero that all the ladys **_**lust**_**, I'm all that just like a dimesack that helps everbodys pleasure **_**extract**_**, by the way is that ya girls crack?! **Mugen mocked pointing in a different direction towards the audience.

It was taking all of Sabukai's concentration and focus to stop from exploding on Mugen. However; looking behind Mugen he could see that his men had their swords drawn and were ready to strike in a matter of seconds.

"Yes, why it is," Sabukai retorted calmly and coolly. Mugen wasn't expecting this kind of retaliation. Suddenly Isaac moved over towards them. The band that was playing behind stage struck a low octave minor piano chord every time one of his feet hit the ground as he marched towards Mugen and Sabuakai in an attempt to make his movements somewhat comical and related to the show.

"**What he saayyys is true**!" he belted out in his singing voice. Sabukai grabbed his sword off the ground and suddenly several of his thugs came rushing to the center of the stage from both sides swords drawn. Mugen pivoted franticly and clashed blades with one of the swordsmen showering the stage with a cloud of lustrous and brilliant sparks. Isaac continued to sing.

"**I tell you that he rules because he kicks all the bad guys in the jewels!" Issac sang as he kicked several of the opposing attackers in the chest with a series of well planted frontal kicks. "If he can't make theeeem then he shall break theeem!" **he sung in a deeper voice throwing another thug off the stage and knocking another one to the stage floor with an elbow strike. The audience started to clap along and go with the flow of his song. **"He can't be defeated! He is to powerful to lose, your sword wont even make a bruise, your daaaay of evil **_**construction**_** will fail, since he swaaays to the symphony of **_**destruction**_**!" **he ended the last note with a double-whammy punch and took out two thugs. By the end of his free-style song he had knocked just about all of the thugs that had stormed the stage to the floor and they massaged their injuries and arrogance. Some how even Sabukai fell to the floor as well; he staggered as he rose to his feet like a cantankerous drunk. Mugen quickly knocked out the last of Sabukai's thugs with the hilt of his wakashi, and then he turned to face his final opponent. "Now the duel of the lost souls begins!" Isaac announced triumphantly and then moved away from the center stage.

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Sitting down on a pile of beaten guards Namiko yawned tranquilly. They had easily taken over the front entrance and it didn't look like there were going to be any reinforcements. The guards that had been watching the area from outside wore no special clothing so if any other law enforcement agent came walking by Namiko and his cronies he would just claim that they were a bunch of hoodlums looking for a good time. The theatre hall was also located near the outskirts of the city so there were few people in the near by buildings if any and the security was quiet. Namiko looked down at the grimy soil beneath his feet and then over at a couple of his cohorts that were sitting over on the main entrance steps. Greatly he desired that he had been one of those that had the responsibility of taking the stage or taking down that Shogunate official forces.

"Damn this sucks," he said under his breath. It had been the second time he had said it. "I belong where the action is." Across from the theatre main entrance there was a small river that ran between the street the theatre was on and the other buildings on the opposite street where he was watching from earlier. A haunting insipid fog began to cloak the small bridge. There was something Namiko greatly admired about the mysterious element of the earth. While many people feared it's mystically and bizarre appearance, he found it superbly attractive. He liked the idea that he could shelter himself and his soul within its infinite and solace white interior. There were times when he wished he could become part of the fog and pass through cities utterly disregarded and undisturbed. A small sigh fled from his being at the thought that tonight he was just being a shield when he greatly desired to be the lance. _**Clunk! Clunk! Clunk! Clunk! Clunk!**_ Namiko's head rose up at the sound of what sounded like wood beating against wood. **Clunk! Clunk! Clunk! **Eerily the resonance continued to echo on through out the stillness and serenity of the night. They moved at the rhythm of footsteps. However, it did not sound like an individual crossing the river, it sounded more like a whole crowd of people. _Almost sounds like people walking, but with wooden feet?! _Looking over to his right he could see that his cohorts heard the sound as well; some of them were clutching their swords. Both the yakuza gunmen at the top of the roof looked at each other and nodded in agreement. One of them picked up a small explosive firework called dragon flair. The other one pointed his long matchlock rifle into the mist. _I don't believe I sent for any reinforcements, what the hell is going on? _Namikothought confoundedly.Passing through the mystical land cloud the crew came into sight. They were all tall well built men that wore large woven baskets over their heads and wore dark blue clothing. Their sight was all that was needed to inform Namiko who they were.

"Dammitt! It's the basket brigade," he growled clenching his teeth like a rabid canine. "Of course they'd be here!" He knew exactly who they were. One of the lead men in tonight's production was Master Isaac who was the leader of the Dutch East Trading company. Due to his unpopularity with some of the bigot isolationist in the area he figured it would be good to keep his collection of his finest warriors near by. _I wonder if anyone sent for these freaks _Namiko thought. There was roughly more than a dozen, it was hard to tell because of how they walked side by side. When they all came across the bridge they formed two single file lines and stood shoulder to shoulder facing the theatre entrance in a staggered formation. In some ways their position almost resembled a giant zigzag, they designed their formation that way so they would be more difficult to attack from a distance with missile weapons. Namiko looked over at his comrades that were stationed on the steps and nodded to them. They were going to attack. Just then one of the gunners up above let off one of the fireworks. It erupted with a potent explosion, though the Dutchmen held their position firmer than a compilation of statues. Like ghosts in the night they rushed elegantly at the well guarded entrance. One of the basket brigadiers set off a smoke bomb in front of them. Slicing through the whitish smoke screen a spear jetted towards the roof of the structure. It impaled one of the gunners right between the eyes. Not showing the slightest amount of pain or sound he toppled forwards and landed on a couple of Namiko's minions that were disperatly trying to keep their pose. Suddenly out from the smoke another brigader jumped into the air. Over his basket fortified head he swung a sling. The other gunner on the roof fired but only clipped bart of the warriors basket masket. With great skill and force he unleashed a small shiny stone and nailed the gunner in the head. Painfully he fell backwards on the roof.

_Damn, these bastards really know what the hell their doing _Namiko thought trying desperately to keep his head cool and his battle strategy hot. From the entrance a thug grinned and dashed towards the basket masked warrior. With sword in hand he howled and roared with audacity and valoras if he were a samurai in the heat of battle. Before his sword met the mystic warrior another basket masked Dutchmen leapt out of the smoke screen and lashed out at him with a claymore. The thug raised his blade and partly blocked it but the force of the attack alone completely knocked him off balance and sent him crashing to the ground. Several other thugs noticed that the rest of the basket brigade was starting to emerge from the sinister smoke cloud. They quickly descended the entrance stairs and drew their swords and other weapons. A couple members of the basket brigade advanced forwards raising humungous halberd staffs. The huge unusual looking blades clashed with Namiko's cohorts driving them backwards. _**Crunk!**_ The sound of bone crushing under rugged metal as a brigade warrior brought his staff down on the shoulder of his opponent coalesced with the battle cries and clashing blades in the air. Another member of the basket brigade threw one of Namiko's thugs off the staircase of the theatre. His forces were crumbling like sand castles being clobbered and softened by immense title waves. He figured that it was a bad idea to keep on fighting from the outside and decided to signal one of his comrades at the very top of the stairs to fall back into the structure. However; he was going to plan his own escape. Though his plans were cut short just as he dashed around one side of the building in the heat of the chaotic melee; that basket brigadier that had been using that sling stood right in the middle of Namiko's path.

"So, you want a serving do ya!" The basket masked warrior darted across the sandy ground with his cloak waving and fluttering gracefully with the wind. Namiko swiftly drew one of his throwing knives and flung it at his advancing adversary. As it sliced through the air end over end his unknown opponent removed his basket mask that had been covering his face. Quickly he threw it in the direction of Namiko's blade and it stuck right in the center of it. _Shit! Good thing I have two aces._ Reaching behind his back he grasped his other throwing blade and waited this time vigilantly like an old viper. He was going to wait until his opponent was right on top of him to unleash his weapon. Quickly he dove to his right side and as he fell to the earth he threw his other blade. His blonde mustached opponent did the same but as he fell he drew a wheel lock pistol and blasted Namiko. The bullet seared right through his shoulder and caused him to tumble and roll across the ground like a log furiously tumbling down hill. Proudly his contender rose to his feet and after dusting himself off blew the smoke from the barrel of his gun.

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Back inside the auditorium the scene continued to heat up. Both Mugen and his opponent detained each other in their burning and intrusive glaring eyes. To the audience they represented refinement and vagrancy. Even though Sabukai admitted to being a thug and enjoyed it, his clothing would have suggested a much more affluent and prestigious noblemen. His fine dark blue robe was trimmed with gold and his sheath that held both his swords were also trimmed in silver and were embellished with jewels and designs of waves crashing on a beach with birds. Mugen's outfit screamed lonely wanderer. His ashen undershirt was ripped at the bottom and even though his jacket covered it so were his sleeves. His long gray baggy shorts were also worn from heavy use and had been dilapidated through hunts for girls and battles. His crimson jacket that he got from the old man that had saved his life after confronting that crazy guy with the eye patch was the only thing in semi-good condition. However; the only value it held was its sentimental.

_Oh great, it looks like I'm gonna have to try and perfect one of the things I'm terrible at, holding back, god I freakin hate it! _Mugen thought irately. Even if he was going to engage and even injure Sabukai, he had to make it look like it was part of the act. The adventurer knew in his gut that Sabukai was quite the persistent and proficient swordsman, and it was going to take all his skill to beat him. More importantly he had to budget his stamina and had to pay great consideration to his movement economy. By attacking and defending in an economy of movements he would be able to make the fight look more like it had been previously choreographed and was a legitimate facet of the performance. However, this was a totally new and in many ways different approach to swordplay for Mugen.

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Up above in an elaborate mezzanine Reyusoki watched with great suspense. This performance had been more than he had bargained for. He had really planned to come and view this performance out of good faith for his friend of his, and also a public relations move. He knew that it was that chief of that Dutch trading company that was the lead man, and Reyusoki had a bad reputation for dealing with foreigners with great harshness and tyranny. Now a days it seemed like that merchants were per swaying the government more than the disappearing samurai or the shogunate himself. To seem like he wasn't an aggressive isolationist he decided coming to see this performance would send a very positive message to the public and those affiliated with the government.

"I have to admit that this vagrant is more endowed than I had ever predicted," Reyusoki spoke to his personal body guards that sat on each side next to him. "I figured the only thing he was good at was sneaky tricks and coming to a powerful nation illegally and in secret." One of his guards nodded with agreement.

"You know you should have hired him as a body guard," a sinister voice spoke from behind him. Turning in his European chair he saw four oddly dressed men come walking into the room. They wore brightly colored robes of shades of light greens, oranges, pinks, and yellows all meshing and coalescing into bleaches of light. Even their scabbards were oddly colored. It didn't take an introduction for Reyusoki to know that they were yakuza or were at least associated with them.

"What business would you have with me?" he asked the tallest one that was standing in front of the group.

"Oh not much, it's just our boss has a few favors to ask you."

"Unless if it is about bringing down a gang or turning himself in I don't have any grounds to collaborate with criminals!" the shogun official answered with a growl.

"Well maybe you don't want to cooperate with us, but your niece would appreciate it," the former Nagatomi thug spoke with a devilish smile. Reyusoki's face changed in a physical wave from tough and determined to utter shock.

"Interesting," he answered. That wasn't how the thugs that were beating up on him expected him to answer. "How is that even possible?"

"Don't ask me, it wasn't my plan," the group leader responded in a smug tone.

"Because I do not have a niece, but I do remember some of my men spreading a rumor to confuse those that found me unpopular," he spoke coolly with all the slickness and wit in the world. The posse of punks suddenly felt a sharp sting of uneasiness and even fear.

"You mean that girl we kidnapped; she wasn't even-"one of the thugs whispered to one standing next to him. Proudly the shogunate official stood up from his seat and placed a hand on his sword, his two body guards also did the same.

"Now maybe its best if you collaborate with me," Reyusoki remarked with a faint smile. With out bellowing madly with fear the group of thugs turned in their tracks and ran out of the mezzanine and down the hall with great haste. Reyusoki and his guards quickly pursued them.

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Sabukai's attention shifted up to one of the mezzanine's were his main target of the night was viewing the play. His attention had been alerted to that area of the auditorium when he heard the vulgar shuffling of feet. He saw Reysoki leave with his guards.

_Excellent! Everything is going as I have foreseen. Now with Namiko guarding the front entrance and with that blasted official of the shogun under my influence I can call this mission complete_ Sabukai thought. Exasperatingly, he had to turn his attention back to the last fork in his road. Now with his primary objective taken well care of he could finish of this damn Ryu-Kyu islander. _I will have to be vigilant with my moves and my approach, if I am to defeat him I will have to make it appear like it was rehearsed_. Moving in opposite directions, they began to side step and move in a circular direction.

Da! Da! Dumm! Da! Da! Dumm! Da! Da! Dummdumm! The drums roared drowning out all sound in the auditorium. Isaac had done his part on stage to make it appear as an act, and now he was making it appear that way by ordering the drummers to follow the rhythm of their movements. Both of the contenders' eyes were locked in a frenzied gaze of primal instinct and the drive to strive for victory. Breathing in steady gasps and keeping their guards well held up. After a few encircling movements the drums stopped witch both dualists understood as their cue to attack each other.

_Hell yeah! This is my chance to break this funky bastard down! _

_Time to end it! _

Promptly, the two fighters approached each other burning with vigilance and zeal. Sabukai swung first lashing out horizontally at Mugen. Acrobatically, Mugen snapped his back away from his opponent and pulled himself down into a back bend. Just above his eyes he saw Sabukai's sword sweep over his face glistening with the torches that lit the stage. Pulling himself back up straight he brought his sword down vertically in a slashing motion. Sabukai sidestepped his counter with ease. Slashing at his adversary again Sabuaki parried Mugen's attack showering the stage with a heap of effervescent sparks. **Clang! Clung! Caclung! Clang! **The clashing and slamming noises of their metal blades rang through out the auditorium captivating the audience with the liveliness and power of their resonance. Fuu couldn't believe her eyes she had never seen Mugen attack, parry, or even move with such eloquence in his approach to facing off against his opponent. Though he still fought with the same attitude and energy he always had. Sabukai swiped diagonally in an upward motion at Mugen's unguarded side. Pivoting away Mugen spun out of the way of the attack. Trying to catch Mugen again off guard he slashed out horizontally. Mugen raised his wakashi sword and blocked the strike with a metallic ring. Swifter than a tiger his opponent raised his left foot and swung a roundhouse kick at Mugen. Hastily, Mugen rolled across the stage in a summersault motion. Rising on his hands into a handstand he swung his feet and pivoted his body with a hand-spin. Tucking his head in close to his shoulders Sabukai crouched down just barely in time to avoid the bizarre kick. Dropping to one of his elbows Mugen swung his feet underneath him and at the crouching Sabukai. Pushing off with all the power in his thighs Sabukai jumped over the sweeping kick again evading Mugen. Pivoting upwards on his feet like a Latin dancer Mugen rose from the ground and unleashed another series of slashing and stabbing motions at Sabukai. Quickly and skillfully Sabukai managed to either elude or deflect all of his actions. After side stepping another slashing attack and parrying one of Sabukai's kicks with his knee Mugen back peddled then leapt backwards from his relentless foe. His breathing was growing heavier by the minute and he could feel his stamina and strength dwindle slightly.

_Damn! This frickin hooligan is a bit more than I had expected. It's also turning out to be pretty freakin obvious that this guy has a thing for predicting my moves and what to do to guard against them. _Unlike Mugen's inefficient fighting style Sabukai had lots of energy to spare, it was going to take some time for him to get wary from drained endurance. However; his offensive tactics were very traditional as well and Mugen was good at figuring out what to do and how to quickly adapt to his tactics. He could also tell that he was fighting somewhat with an economy of movements trying to avoid making the fight seem to complex and too real.

"Give up maggot! You could not possibly defeat me with such rudimentary and futile advancements!" Sabukai snared trying more and more to appear like the villain, which he was in Mugen's mind.

"I'll admit you're in class all to your self! But that doesn't mean shit to me!" Mugen roared back. He was now easily winning the hearts of everyone in the Audience. Most of the audience including Fuu had already forgotten about the real story and started to set their minds entirely on the duel between these two mysterious warriors. Together their chemistry was more electric and more charismatic than anything they had seen earlier. Maybe not as intelligent or well crafted, but avid and breath taking in the sense that it was all really occurring before their eyes. Mugen started to realize that they were nearing the climax of their altercation and he needed to do something to end it with out spilling too much blood. Sabukai may have been a better swordsman, but his heart could never hold a candle to Mugen's. Mugen breathed in deeply, and then charged at his opponent once more.

Sabukai raised and readied his blade for adversary's next attack. Just as Mugen's right foot parted with the stage he pushed off with his left foot with great verve. This attack caught Sabukai by surpise because it was so quick and because it flowed well with the motion of the buccaneer's running pattern. Mugen's knee cap slammed into his abdominal muscles and caused him to fall backwards and clenched his teeth in agony. Mugen saw the opportunity to make the move that would determine this duel. With both hands on his hilt he brought his sword downwards in a diagonal slash. Nonetheless, Sabukai had a trump card of his own.

Mugen's feet hadn't been well planted in the ground as he attacked and Sabukai had just enough time to notice it. He brought his sword upwards and tipped the edge of Mugen's blade. This caused him to almost loose his balance and he staggered backwards like a buffoonish drunk. Sabukai grinned with satisfaction; the fight was looking more in his favor. Seizing the moment he jumped towards the awkwardly back peddling Mugen and swung his great blade again. His sword clashed with Mugen's and this time the ex-pirate went crashing to the stage floor with a vulgar thud. Grasping his side and trying to crawl to his knees Mugen still displayed great determinacy and audacity. Sabukai snickered like a cruel king and kicked Mugen in the side of his ribcage. Mugen fell side ways rolled towards the edge of the stage; Fuu felt her heart skip a beat. Lying flat at his back he coughed and growled with frustration. The hearts of the crowd totally reached out to him with sympathy.

"You should have listened to someone more refined," he spoke to Mugen looking down at his defeated body. However; his broad and arrogant smile faded dismally as he saw his opponent make another attempt to stand. Quaking like a dying soldier on the battlefield he climbed to his feet and stood with bent knees. In front of him he planted his swords tip into the floor to give him balance; it was the only thing holding him up besides sheer will power. Fuu felt another shudder of hope sweep through her; maybe he could come back and win it. Sabukai snarled at the sight of his opponent who so desperately refused to lose. Sadistically he punched Mugen in the jaw and sent him crashing backwards. The hairs on his head dangled over the edge of the stage.

"Oh my god this is such a thrilling performance, these men are such masters of drama," a woman spoke sitting next to Fuu in a whispering voice.

"This is so intense! Who are these actors how come I have never heard of them," a man sitting in front of Fuu said excitedly.

"This is the most amazing kabuki theatre production I've seen in years, maybe a lifetime," another man remarked. Fuu knew all to well this wasn't part of the play. She hardly knew why this quarrel began, and wanted it to end badly. Mugen didn't look like he could stand back up; the last blow was quite severe. Sabukai raised his sword to about eye level with his blade end pointing down at the half dead Mugen. Then from his jaws an insane cry that sounded like that of a samurai as he severed the head of his opponent rippled through the auditorium like a hurricane through a small village. However; Mugen also roared and before he could bring his sword down Mugen kicked one of his knees with his heel. Sabukai fell forwards and almost on the ground but regained his balance. Then Mugen planted a very powerful upwards kick at his opponent's stomach. This kick Mugen had put all of his energy and it nearly cracked several of Sabukai's ribs. As the noise of crushed muscles and tearing bones entered Sabuakai's ears all he could do was stand hunched over like an old blacksmith and tensely clutch his stomach with a trembling hand. Grabbing his sword off the ground Mugen pointed its end right in Sabukai's face. Sabukai still had a slight amount of strength to snarl at Mugen one last time.

"Go ahead then savage, finish me!" he growled in a guttural voice.

"As you wish," Mugen returned in a very serious and unusual tone of voice. Fluidly Mugen swung his sword at Sabukai's head and finished him in a very comical way. Many of the people in the audience gasped as he brought his blade across Sabukai's head, but then chuckles and snickers filled the air as they saw his top knot roll across the stage. Then his long silky black bangs fell to the floor. "How was that? Or do ya want me to take anotha swing?!" Sabukai's eyes rolled in the back of his head and he bellowed painfully like a zombie and fell side ways on the stage. Mugen had won the battle nobody everyone in the audience had been oblivious to. After a few seconds of people's snickering and laughing all was completely obscured by the boisterous and raving applauding viewers from one end of the auditorium to the other.

Even though the auditorium was around the size of a large chapel, it sounded more like a victorious day at the coliseum of ancient Rome. Everyone from across the audience rose and cheered with all their being to their very hearts content. It was a wonderful night for everyone, except for maybe Sabukai and his cohorts. Fuu jumped into the air like a rowdy and raucous school girl and called out Mugen's name and praised him and all his glory for the night. She cheered extra loud because she knew that he had just been fighting for his life just now. Her heart beat quickened to an ever more feverish pitch as she saw him rise once again to his feet and stand tall like the ruler of the world itself. With his right arm he raised his right hand into the air; he was truly doing what he did best living within the moment. Suddenly from behind stage the drums began to beat again.

"Thank you stranger," Isaac said walking across the stage. "You have once again restored order." The storyline was now going in a very crooked angle, but nobody cared.

"What do ya mean man," Mugen replied with a grunt. "I just put them at ease and got rid of that bastard. Your gonna have to really pick up this mess!" the crowd chuckled a bit, and Fuu felt the beautiful and nourishing emotion of relief sweep through her like a gentle zephyr through a green valley. Even though he was talking in a worse-than-usual tone because he had suffered damage to his skull, he managed to have placed things back in order. But now there was the challenge of out doing what had just occurred, and Isaac had a plan to end things short.

"Your words are wise and I shall take them with great sincerity," Isaac spoke planting a fist to his chest.

"Wise my freakin jack-ass!" Mugen retorted. He really needed to be pulled off stage. He didn't even know what day of the week it was, or what was a week for that matter. Abruptly, a female voice called out from behind stage.

"Naraguna! Naraguna! Naraguna!" the soft and sweet girl's voice called out behind stage. Once again the curtains swept in from both sides and closed off the world and the torches in the room were put out.

"What are they going to do next?" Fuu whispered to herself. Then onstage a woman with a strange looking lantern walked out onto the stage. Then another lantern emerged and it was Isaac. He was sitting on a rock and was stretching like he had just awoken from sleep. Fuu recognized her she was his wife and in this play she was playing that girl that worked in a jewelry shop.

"My master where have you been?" she asked walking up to him and placing a gentle and fragile hand on his shoulder.

"I went out for a walk, built a fire, and sang a song or two, then a drifted into this deep trance. There were the kabuki spirits and then there were them!"

"Who?"

"I did not know their names but I thought they were the spirits of to very proficient and zealous souls that must have fought each other. Even though one was a villain he impressed me in a sense because he really thought he could bring the powers to a balanced state and control them himself. Something many would dare not think of. "

"But you said he was a villain?" his girl snapped.

"That is true. If I had been in his position I would have taken things in a different direction. But then there was his adversary, he was truly astounding. Not just because his intentions and his will was righteous, because he believed in himself, and no matter what threat opposed him, he kept his vision clear and his goals at heart. Nothing fazed him, only keeping his heart and his spirit where it mattered most, and that was striving for what he held above everything else."

"You know you should really be a poet," Taka's character remarked.

"Why is that?"

"You're just too darn artistic when you talk, but hey I'll admit it works for you," she said.

"I'll take that as a compliment, now lets rest indoors, we'll need it for tomorrow.

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The play lingered on for another half hour or so. Every now and then towards the end of the production Fuu could hear murmurs in the crowd about the two "warrior souls" and if they would reappear for another scene at the end. Most of the thugs that Mugen and Isaac took out on stage dashed out of the theatre house or fled the area somehow. Except Sabukai was thrown down below beneath the stage in a bamboo cage, he didn't wake back up that whole night. Basket Brigade turned in many of the cronies that were still alive that had stormed the front entrance to the samurai authority in the area. One of the things that made Oge-omati neat was that it still employed samurai in these kinds of positions. Mugen dozed off in a hammock Isaac and some of the actors occasionally took naps in between rehearsals. After the play ended and most of the actors and the crowds had vacated from the building Isaac took Fuu back stage to see her beloved snoozing warrior.

Fuu smiled and her eyes almost welled with tears of joy. One of his hands was resting on his forehead and the other one was dangling on the floor. Both his eyes were closed and didn't seem at all strained by anything. She loved watching his chest rise and then descend as he breathed quietly and tranquilly. One of his feet was up by where the other end of the hammock was connected and the other foot rested on the floor. In all these years she knew his companionship and held him as a dear friend she had never seen him so at peace with himself and the world. She always thought that there was the storm that was constantly and viciously erupting and fuming with hatred inside his soul, but know it seemed like it had passed and he felt easiness and serenity fall onto him.

"At the after party there is going to be fireworks and music, and a few refreshements," Issac explained quietly to Fuu with a humorous wink.

"Sounds like fun, but this is one I think he'll sit out," Fuu whispered back to Isaac. Quietly she walked over to her placid and resting old time companion. She knelt down next to him as if she were going to pray before an altar in a great chapel. Inside she felt an immense and almost over powering emotion of euphoria, admiration, and completion. Tenderly she ran her fingers through his bangs softly and as tenderly as one could.

"Rest well tonight, you've earned it more than anyone," she spoke delicately. Her words spilled out of her lips like wine from a lustrous vase. Then she stood back up and walked back over to Isaac. Together they left Mugen to rest all by himself through the night. Once they left the backstage area one of his keen eyes opened acutely and a small but docile smirk came over his face.

_**Like I said it was gonna end with a bang! O.K. maybe that was a bit corny! In fact I think the audience is so quiet I can hear a tumble weed go across the room. **_

_**Oh yeah those guys called the basket brigade are those dudes in the 6**__**th**__** episode soul searching. They walk around town sort of following Isaac. Well I hope you've enjoyed this segment of the quest. It was one of the most humorous and action/combat driven! **_

_**Thank you for reading! **_

_**And I'll see ya on the next chap! **_

_**Lata!**_


	10. Farewell to a Fued

_ Farewell to a Feud _

_Not really a New Chapter just something to build a bridge between the next couple of chapters. It has been a long time since I have done any work on this bad beast. _

The morning arrived and Mugen felt himself come back to life. The previous night had given Mugen a new feeling of being alive. Though in many ways Mugen had just been experiencing the things that made him feel one with himself, his spirit and the world around him. When he awoke he rubbed his drowsy eyes and rolled out of his hammock like a lazy child that just got up after napping through a glorious afternoon.

"Freakin A where did I crash last night?" Looking around his surroundings it started to become apparent that he was still at the theatre house. "Man I can't recall the last time I just plain through in the damn towel after a great fight. Usually I still have some wood in the fire to grab a few rounds of sake and dance the night away!" It didn't matter he innately knew that his reputation as a brawler and a true man of his word had been fortified in this town and he could leave the structure with out thoughts of interrogation and anxiety or encounters he could do with out, though he never gave a flying fuck about any of those things anyways. Slinging his sword of his shoulder and planting his feet into the ground with more confidence than a titan he set out for another ready to take whatever the day was going to throw at him.

"Dammitt! Can't you just call out for one day!" Mugen snarled shielding his eyes from the sun as he stepped out into the streets. It had been very dark and dim inside the theatre house and it was another scorcher outside. When he walked into the streets some of the villagers bowed to him with great respect and others waved and thanked him for his performance last night. Though little did they know it was more than just an act for entertainment, it was display of honor and taking care of an annoying adversary. It didn't take him long to get back to his hotel where he found Fuu sprawled on the floor snoring like a napping hippo basking in the sun. Issac was also on the floor with Taka and a few other people Mugen didn't recognize.

"I don't even wanna know," he said and with that said he just left the room, he knew that they had to wake up at some point and he was just going to let them do that. He sat down on the porch of the inn and for once in a long time decided to let his guard come to ease and do some relaxing. He closed his eyes and felt his thoughts slip from his mind. The only thing that passed through his mind was the flickering sounds of the birds chirping and the soothing sigh of the docile winds. It was rare that he got these moments of peace, and it was even rarer that he had the opportunity to himself. Abruptly all of his quiet and tranquil euphoria was ripped in half by the thud of heavy footsteps pounding into the floor boards behind him. **Thud!** **Thud! **Each time when one footstep would fall and infect the air with its belligerent resonance the sound grew closer into Mugen's earshot. _Well this can either be one of the town drunks, chunky town drunk that is, or a very gauche assassin, either way this bastard is going down _Mugen thought as his hand crept closer to the blade on his back. Quickly he spun out of his chair with a vigilant hand on his long sword hilt and gazed upon the intruder. It was neither of the candidates he had considered. It was Fuu she was wearing huge shoes with six inch heals that were embellished by an assortment of jewels and gem stones. Despite their silliness Mugen found them to have this sexy little flair that caught his attention. "It figures," he grumbled under his breath.

"What?" Fuu groaned stepping into the middle of the portch. As she progressed forward the sun started to beam her in the face and she lost her balance and went sailing forwards. Mugen Dashed forward and caught her just in time before she smashed and tumbled down the porch steps. He could feel her heart pounding like a thousand congas, his heart pace also started to quicken.

"I can see someone should take care of their hang over before they decide to come on over," he whispered in her ear in an agitated voice.

"Me, I'm fine," Fuu remarked groggily.

"You, no, but those shoes kinda are." Fuu looked down at her feet and smiled at the sight.

"Oh yeah, I won these last night at the cast party, there cool aren't they?"

"They look dangerous to me," Mugen said with a smile. Fuu raised a questioning eyebrow.

"While else would you think I like those things? Anyways we need to get back to our next move."

"Already, but we haven't been in this area all that long, and there are no immediate threats we need to worry about."

"I'm not talking about hittin and runnin today, but soon though. We can't lose track of what were searchin for, and that is something I hold to you," Mugen explained sitting her up on the porch steps and then sitting down beside her. She knew he was right and that when Mugen sinks his teeth into something he doesn't let go. Fuu also thought about what he had said and started to realize that staying here was only going to delay things.

"I, I understand." Mugen almost fell backwards, for once she was agreeing with him with out any flashy argument or if he was right or wrong. "You stuck by me and saw things through, and like I said I am going to do the same for you."

"Beautiful morning, no?" a deep voice sounded off behind them. Both pivoting they saw the large man Isaac duck and walk though the little doorway of the inn. "Come inside we have an excellent breakfast and stories waiting for you two," The large man said with a radiant smile. Mugen quickly hustled into the inn on that note, and Fuu just smiled warmly and soon followed.

A little slow but this mini chapter is important to work sort of as filler and like a I said before a bridge to the next section of the story.


	11. Monster In The Mountains

_**Monster In The Mountains **_

_** Mugen and Fuu get a bit side tracked (as usual) and head deep into a dormant and creepy mountain range. Mugen spooks her little mind with stories about the giant salamanders and their frightening attacks on villagers who come to the water and trade caravans passing through. However; there are other and more terrifying threats that reside in the shadows of these mountains. **_

__It was noon time and the sun was casting it's infinitely life giving rays onto the luxuriant earth. The birds sang blissfully and the smooth and high pitch tones of their melodic chirps coalesced and harmonized with the insects and the placid zephyrs that swept across the forest and passed through the thick canopy. Everything was moving in an austere conduct that nature had intended since the dawn of advance life forms on the planet. All was moving with the mighty sinuous order, with exception of two individuals that were soaring down a small serene river in the middle of this harmonious forest.

It had been almost two days since they had left Oge-Omati and were continuing their quest towards the southern islands of greater Japan. Fuu sat tranquilly in the middle of the exquisite and hardy canoe while Mugen continued to steer and occasionally paddle at the very end of the river vessel. She was doing her nails like the way a resolute artists devotes himself to an imperative project. Mugen had been rowing for hours and the job was starting to be getting old. It seemed like neither the river or the dense forest had some sort of ending. Nevertheless, he did often enjoy being far from civilization; partly because he loved solitude and that he felt that he had never fit within it all that well. Glancing down at the water he saw a pair of gold fish swim by. There glimmering orange, black, and white bodies shimmered under the skin of the water like a cluster of exclusive gem stones. Their tails moved competently and easily with the meek flow of the water. _Flow _he thought; that word sparked a thought in his once idling mind. He remembered a few nights ago about how he had totally defeated Sabukai by not using his blade or collage of combat techniques. While he was also fortunate that the crowd bought into his act he loved what he did. It didn't really matter to him what people thought about the way he pursued his life and how he existed, so he didn't care if his on the spot poem came out strange to them or not if the audience did react negatively to it. It had stolen the moment, and that's what he had been aiming for. _Flow, harmony, compatibility _these words emerged in his mind and continued to spark more thoughts, thoughts he had never really taken into any real consideration. _Poetry_, he had never conveyed his feelings for the art form not to anyone, not even Fuu. When he was born on that prison camp, and when he escaped to join that squad of pirates he was barely ever in the position to reveal his zeal and his enthusiasm for the art and since many would not appreciate it or would have the time on their hands. It was an extreme rarity that he had ever had time to work on this form of self expression and within time it almost utterly emaciated from his mind all together. His thoughts were turned to the trees and their high looming branches that hung over head. The singing of the birds and all the simple beauty of nature was starting to arouse an emotion that gave him a strong and almost overwhelming sensation. Placing his oar back in the water to give them a bit more speed his mind began to drift.

"Again we stand to fight, I don't care if its wrong or if its right. I don't care about anyone's damn idea, because I'm somethin they should fear! Do you hear, its all around us, within us, its something I don't know, I've never questioned it, I only went with the flow. So beautiful, so hot, so strong, could I for once not be wrong, my blood starts to pump like I got bitten by a nasty bug, tell me is this love." For the first time in almost a decade he had actually composed something that had meant something to him. Through out the days of his travels he always came up with words for it, and blended them with his emotions day in and day out. At finally he felt partly at peace with himself, he had accomplished something that truly had a vast and deep meaning.

"Th-that was amazing, so so beautiful," Fuu spoke from the front of the boat. Mugen's eyes popped back into place as he was sharply dragged back to reality. He was so blissfully at ease for once and he didn't even realize that he was speaking his thoughts out loud. "I never knew you had such a talent," Fuu said looking over her shoulder with a sexy and witty smile. Mugen's instinctive reaction was to instantly throw up a mental barrier and encircle all emotion that existed within him. Divulging some facets of who he was always made him feel extra defensive, there was nothing he despised and rejected more.

"Yeah," he responded in a low voice looking down at the river dipping his oar back into its docile current. Fuu turned her gaze towards the front of the canoe again and her head fell from her shoulders slightly. Biting her lip in irritation she started to have notions about Mugen bounce off the walls of her head.

"Why do you do that?" she asked in soft voice.

"Do what," Mugen questioned looking up from the water.

"Build a barricade around yourself." Mugen was quiet and continued to reinforce the silence that accompanied them and his fortress around his heart. "That, or the way you disparage yourself, your really gifted." She continued to speak in a very truthful and serene tone of voice. "I don't know if anyone has ever told you that, but I tell you it's true," she spoke looking over her left shoulder half turning in her seat. This time honesty and earnestness was written all over her face.

"Thank you." Fuu's heart almost came to a halt; she had never heard him say those two words together, especially in that tenor.

"You know if there is anything you want to tell me, it's alright." Mugen sighed deeply. There were times when she thought that he didn't have any fears in the world, but then there were also instances when he seemed like a man plagued by uneasiness and pandemonium, encircled by a vast universe of perplexity. They were quiet for a little bit as they continued to slowly drift down the placid river. Gazing back up at the sky she started to give some more thought about Mugen's poem. She had never heard him produce something so articulate, cynical, and even somewhat witty. And then there were the words that had composed it so beautifully. _Love. _That was a word she had always gave much thought, maybe even to much on some occurrences.

"That was really deep you know, on so many levels," She spoke leaning back in her seat and placing both hands beside her. "Love is an amazing thing. Few of us really understand its importance and have to opportunity to experience it; and even fewer get to keep it," she spoke in a tone softer than satin letting the sun beam and brighten her face.

"Tch, its do damn expensive that's why!" And once again Mugen's inevitable vulgar comeback and his amazing ability to brake the moment shattered Fuu's current and staid mood. However, it was always his humor that she loved the most about him sometimes, and that is what made him who he was. "What do chicks think we are made out of freakin money?!" Fuu just rolled her eyes at him and flipped through their map.

--

About a half hour later they docked on a small beach and had lunch. Isaac was nice enough to give them some really delicious rice balls served in romaine lettuce. They also got some really good fish and pork sautéed in a very sweet and savory tamari and wasabi sauce.

"Damn I can't remember the last time we had food like this," Mugen commented slicing another piece of pork with his knife. He was really growing accustom to these Western eating utensils. They were very easy to use and were precise.

"These instruments from the West that Isaac gave us are awesome," Fuu mentioned scooping a clump of rice into her metallic spoon. "Though," she murmured chewing partly with her mouth open. "I still love chopsticks, I mean they really help you develop hand and eye coordination."

"Forget that, that's the last stuff I need to be working on when I'm eating. I get enough of that the rest of the 24 hours of the day," he snarled chomping on a piece of fish.

When they finished eating they jumped back in their exquisite river craft and floated on down towards their next destination. They had been blessed with such a nice day for riding down the river. Lots of sunshine gleaming across the water rendering its appearance like a billion sapphires floating on a gigantic wavy blanket. Another thing Mugen loved about the day's climate was the lack of strong winds blowing at his vessel. Instead gentle cool breezes were all that brushed across his face and his stone features.

"Hey, how far does this Ushimaka river go for," Mugen asked vigilantly placing his oar in the water keeping their vessel on course.

"Actually, we've been off it for a while now," she responded holding up the map.

"Or you yankin me or are you for real, for how many miles?"

"I'll say about, maybe like six or seven miles," she answered. Mugen again snarled and rolled his eyes filling with agitation.

"And when were you planning to tell me?"

"Take it easy. While that river may have ended were less than a days away from the next river we have to take."

"What river are we on now?" Mugen asked feeling his patience strain thin.

"Were on, well, why can't I make this out?" Mugen started to wonder if she was even paying attention to the map at all, or was she just reading it incorrectly again. "Now this is really weird, I can't find a name."

"Toss that back here!" he growled. Fuu threw the map backwards over her head. Mugen caught it in mid air and spread it open. Half steering the boat with one hand he was also shocked at what he saw too, there was river that had branched off the Ushimaka and didn't have a name. He saw that it did connect to the Otto River but he was shocked that it didn't have a name as well. _Now this is fishier than that chick I picked up a couple of months ago. _Rolling it back up and tossing it away the ex-bucceener started to wonder what river they were really on and what it was going to have in store for them.

"At least we do know were headed in the right direction," Fuu said grinning back at Mugen.

"Uh huh," he responded unenthusiastically. _At this point it wouldn't be shocking news if we weren't _he thought pessimistically.

--

After a few hours of going down the unknown river the scenery started to alter drastically. Many of the trees that grew on the side of the river bank were leafless and there were more snags perched on the grimy grounds. The beautiful river they were on was starting to resemble a dark and murky swamp they had heard about in majestic tall tales. Fuu was not very found of this new atmosphere; in fact it chilled her to the pit of her very soul. Mugen on the other hand was starting to realize that the river was matching the descriptions of an uncharted territory he remember hearing old ghost stories about.

"I think I know where we are," Mugen said looking around the dim and mysterious landscape.

"If it has anything to deal with demons, ghosts, or even nasty bugs I don't wanna buy into it," Fuu growled trying not to shiver too much.

"Well I've heard all those guys have a place around here," Mugen snickered happily watching Fuu Clutch the edges of her kimono trying not to shiver. "If you look straight ahead and upwards you can also spot the Kimdojo mountain range." Fuu looked ahead and through the insipid and haunting fog she could see the large mountains.

"Its getting really dark, and. I think we should find a place to set up camp for the night," Fuu insisted urgently. These were the times she wished Mugen had even the slightest bit of sympathy for her feelings of caution and sometimes fear. The nothings seemed to really give the ex-buccaneer a startle or a run for his money, so traveling into a dark and uninhabited, unknown area was just something that was fun to do. Fuu started to notice that her companion was looking over each shoulder from time to time and was paying more attention to the atmosphere around them. _Could it be that this area actually has him on his toes, no there is nothing that freaks this guy out, or maybe nothing I have seen yet _Fuu thought vigilantly.

"But one thing I do know about this area is that a lot of those things I mentioned are just thrown out there to distract so many of the foolish suckers from the water dragons."

"Water what?" Fuu asked, she could feel the sense of fear and uncertainty rise and wash over her.

"That's right, sometimes I call'em river beasts or pond fiends," He said probing the water with his oar hoping to uncover something.

"Oh really, how much do you know about them?" she asked trying to fortify her confidence level.

"Well for starters I know they hunt at night, and that's because there eye sight isn't all that great. Though they freak me out because they always know if someone is around them because of the water that surrounds them, their tough bastards that's for sure," Mugen explained. Fuu didn't like these descriptions of these creatures because they seemed to have the highest chance of actually existing because of the level of detail Mugen was getting into them.

"Whoa," Mugen snapped looking at the whirling waves crash at the side of their canoe.

"Whoa what?" Fuu asked in a voice riddled with trepidation. She had a sixth sense for when he was being serious and when he was joking, he was obviously not joking at the moment. He placed his oar on the floor of the canoe and picked up a stick that he had been sharpening earlier. _Mugen what are you up too?_ Gradually he started to lean over one of the edges of the canoe with cat-like caution and respect for whatever had stolen his attention.

"Hey there," he whispered under his breath, with that he jolted forward and impaled something beneath the skin of the black waters. As the water ripped in half from Mugens sadistic and swift attack Fuu almost feel backwards squealing. Looking up from the floor of their mighty water craft she saw him hoist something large and dripping onboard. Sitting upright she looked at it carefully and noticed that it was some kind of large reptilian like creature.

"What the hell is that?!"

"Like I said I call these tough punks pond fiends or water dragons, I know westerners call'em salamanders," explained with a grin. "These things are awesome if you cook them right."

"Don't tell me you expect me to eat that thing!" Fuu groaned holding her stomach, though is much as she didn't want to admit it her stomach was starting to growl a bit, and she knew all to well that hunger was always the greatest spice.

A few hours later they pulled over by the river bank and set up camp. Mugen cooked the giant salamander over an open fire, and as much as Fuu turned her nose up at the idea of eating it, she enjoyed the rich meat from the creature very much. She thought it tasted similar to chicken. Since the river current was fairly strong they couldn't have slept in the canoe and dragged it up on the shore and slept on some blankets as usual. Mugen didn't mind it at all he was exhausted and it felt better than anything in the world to rest.

The following day when they awoke it didn't seem like the same place. The sun was shining, the birds were chirping, and the wind reminded them that they were alive. Nonetheless, the landscape was still as creepy and bizarre as ever, but this nice alteration in the whether eased the feelings of darkness and being alone in forest hungry for their fears. The fog had also faded from last night and they could make out the Kimdojo mountain range much better. It was a beautiful feet of natural architecture, it awed and amazed Fuu. She thought the mountains looked larger than the great Mt. Fuji.

"What the hell!" Mugen snapped in an astounding voice. Fuu looked over her shoulder at him; his attention seemed to be fixated on the floor boards of the great canoe.

"What's wrong?"

"Alright if we weren't crashing in this thing last night, then who the hell was?" Fuu crept closer to where he sat at the end of the water craft and noticed there was a fragment of dark cloth on the floor.

"Sure it wasn't there before?"

"Come on, you know if I flip my freakin lid I'm pissed and serious," Mugen exclaimed angrily. Fuu took a deep breath and turned away from him, she didn't like the notion either. What Mugen didn't tell her was all the scratch marks he also found on the bottom of the canoe and around its edges. _Was someone tryin to mess up my shit, or what? _For once in his existence he had a very had time trying to make a deduction from what he had found. Though he also knew if this became something he would dwell on it would be that much harder for him to sail through his day. He knew the river that passed through the Kimdojo mountain range was fairly short and it wasn't going to take them very long to reach their next destination. _I know for a freakin fact that it wasn't anyone I had crossed paths with recently; they would never find us all the way out here_. Though Mugen knew it was always good to expect the unexpected. What troubled him the most about those mysterious scratch marks was what had caused them? It certainly wasn't from a knife or sword, they looked closest to that of cat or bear claws.

--

Night had fallen again and this time there was a full moon accompanied by thousands of gleaming stars. The radiant and pale moonlight lit up the long river. Mugen noticed that the river was starting to broaden and take more of a form of a lake. The current was starting to become weaker and Mugen found himself doing a lot more paddling. One thing that he found spooky was that there was little in the way of noises from the creatures of the night. Usually he would have heard the crickets chirping and an owl or two hooting from time to time.

_Its quiet, to damn quiet for my liking _he thought uneasily_. _It was always the ex-buccaneer's instinct to find the dangerous and prepare for the worse elements whenever he was traveling some place different. Looking around the lake he also didn't see any sign of animal life. No fireflies cavorting in the air above the water, and no birds of prey silently perched in the darkness of the trees. "Hey, why don't we crash here for the night," Mugen called over to Fuu. Carving a piece of wood she nodded quietly. _Damn, I hope she isn't tweeking out too. _In actuality that wasn't the case at all, she actually liked the quiet. Fuu never told him but ever since she was a little girl animal sounds at night always spooked her somewhat. They docked their canoe by the river side and set up where they were going to be resting for the night.

"Dammitt!" Mugen snarled.

"What's barking up your tree this time?" Fuu asked rolling her chocolate eyes pulling their blankets out from the canoe.

"Why is it whenever I need something I never have it in my hands, we need more fire wood."

"Well can't you go find some; I mean it would be much easier to find some tonight because of all the moon and star light when compared to last nights fog."

_Damn broad has a point_ Mugen thought agitatedly. He figured if they couldn't build a fire they would have to wait to tomorrow to go fishing or something for food. He wasn't in the mood for hunting for fire wood or assembling a fire. "Alright I'll be back in a little while," he said slinging his long sword over his shoulder.

"Don't get lost now," Fuu called out to him sardonically laying out their blankets. Fuu didn't notice it but he flipped her off as he left their campsite and into the infinite darkness of the forest.

--

As Mugen got deeper into the woods he noticed the light from the azure sky was getting dimmer and dimmer. The forest canopy was much thicker and thicker than it was along the river bank. It almost appeared that this segment of the woods was still flourishing with life. This was the time when Mugen still felt like he was a boy, sure he was young but being alone in this dark forest rekindled memories of his childhood when he escaped from that prison in the Ryu Kyus. _Bein out here sure brings back the good old days he thought crouching down to pick up some fire wood._ _**Snitck! **_The sharp resonance of a branch snapping under foot ripped through the tranquil and quiet air. Mugen started pivoting in all directions with a firm hand on his long sword hilt. _Beast, or bastard in the night come out and show me what you got! _Several heated minutes passed and nothing happened. Gradually he started to lower his guard and realized he was being over analytic and aggressive, just like the way he always acted when he was young. He sighed calmly and recollected his firewood and continued through the dark forest.

--

Back at the campsite Fuu looked around the river bank for some medicinal herbs. She knew that they would come in handy any day of the week and she loved working in the art too. When she was very young her mother had a garden full of all different variations of herbal plants and how they can help heal an injured body or go great with food. In some ways she missed those days, even though it was only a decade ago roughly it felt more like several centuries ago. Still, it felt great to be on her own quest once again making the choices her and her companion found to be right. Behind her she heard some rustling in the bushes. _Oh god, not this stupid trick again._ Mugen had a thing for freaking her out when she was alone. "Gee I wonder who that is; I sure hope its not any monsters, because I'm so afraid of those things," she said in a taunting voice layered thick with sarcasm. Suddenly three dark figures leapt from the bushes behind where she was kneeling down and tackled her. Initially she froze with fear then started to squirm and thrash around. _What's going on! _Her hands were tied behind her back and a piece of cloth gagged her and tightened behind her small head. Still squirming and occasionally releasing muffled squeals she was carried off into the shadows of the woods. Who were these mystic figures and what on Earth did they want with her.

--

Mugen had finished collecting his firewood and decided it was time to head on out. He had used a small piece of rope to fasten the sticks together and threw them over his back.

"This way I'll have enough firewood for tonight and tomorrow so I don't need to waste any time stumbling around out here." Not far from where he stood he saw a small pond. Beneath the surface of the water he saw some kind of movement. "Well, maybe I'll grab dinner to go while I'm out here." Cautiously he approached the water and unsheathed his sword. As he got closer to the pond he noticed the object beneath skin of the dark placid waters was much larger than he had initially noticed. "What the hell is it?" Within a few seconds after his query remark he was answered in the bluntest of all ways.

_**Brrraaaaaahhh! **_An enormous reptilian like creature lunged out of the water at him. This creature was like no giant salamander Mugen had ever encountered. It had huge rows and rows of dagger like teeth and talon like claws on its webbed feet. Its eyes were a ghostly pale green.

"Shit!" yelled Mugen as he staggered backwards trying to keep his stance strong and consistent. The beast roared again and lashed out with its right clawed foot. Like a sickle through a field of wheat the creatures bladed like toes slashed across Mugen's left calf and across his shin. The pain was sharp and searing, but he had to keep his mind on whatever it was he was now fighting. Falling backwards and to the ground he heard the beast bellow deafeningly. Pushing off the ground with its powerful hind legs it lunged at Mugen. Fortunatley his brain and feet could still work as one and he jumped up from the ground and cart-wheeled away from the monstrosity. Keeping his feet part and his blade drawn he already knew this wasn't going to be a simple confrontation. _Dammitt! This is really going to mess up my mobility_. _I've just gotta keep a cool head and not let this thing get in my fucking head. _The dark reptilian creature did remind Mugen of one of the salamanders he had hunted it moved and even looked very much like them. Though, he never came across one that was twice his size and with so much claws and teeth, and ghoulish appearing eyes. Growling deeply the creature lashed out again this time Mugen had an answer for his freakish opponent. Mugen brought his sword down vertically but as his blade met with the creatures claws he finished his blow with a diagonal swipe. This attack cut off a couple of its clawed finger-like appendages and chipped its claws. Despite the damage he did, his strong retaliation didn't eve seem to faze it. With a deep roar the creature pivoted on its front two feet and swung his immense tail at Mugen's feet. Mugen jumped over it as the creatures tail smashed through several small saplings and across the side of a tree. As Mugen's feet returned to the earth he saw that the creature already was making a counter offensive. Pushing off from the ground the reptilian beast lunged at Mugen this time with its massive jaws open wide and saturated with saliva. Leaning backwards on his right leg Mugen snapped his left leg forward and landed a powerful frontal kick to the roof of the creatures mouth.

_**Grrrrraaaaaahhhhhh! **_It snarled and hissed in a damp raspy tone. Mugen was starting to realize it was going to take a lot more than just clever tricks and swings from his sword to kill this monstrous opponent.

_Damn your unrelenting and have an attitude, we have a lot in common_ Mugen thought. Hissing the creature lashed out again with a clawed and webbed foot, Mugen blocked it. Bellowing with rage the creature swung its immense tail for Mugen's head, it missed by a few mere inches. The rough dandy fell backwards and tumbled across the ground. He used this to his advantage and rolled across the ground and snuck behind a broad oak tree surrounded by ferns. _I need a real plan on my hands now, no more fucking around. _It was hard for the usually unmatched combatant to admit to himself that he had come across one hell of an opponent. Looking at the cluster of ferns he saw them sway, but it wasn't from the winds gentle caressing force. That salamander beast was closing in on Mugen's location fast. _It's shocking that it hasn't just come flying in my direction by now.___Just with that thought he realized the creature's innate strategy, and possibly now a weakness for Mugen to make use of. _Just like the salamanders I used to hunt back in the day this thing doesn't have the best eye-sight in the world. _The enormous beast did have very poor eyesight, and that's why it roared each time before attacking so it could bounce its lengthy sound waves off something. Mugen watched as the huge ferns parted and fell over as the huge reptilian creature crawled right passed him. _I've dealt with your kind before, and I'm not just talking about huge lizard things. _What he meant was that this beast wasn't the only blind and dangerous opponent he had fought. He remembered Sarah's weakness and threw off both of his padded moccasins and carefully stepped across the damp ground towards the unaware monstrosity. Each time he took a step closer he remained on the balls of his feet and on his toes and tried to keep all of his weight from crashing at once. He was going to get close to it but only close enough so he could jump on it and drive his blade downwards on the creature. The only downfall of this tactic was that it brought back pleasant but melancholy memories of one of the few girls he ever loved. He took a very quiet breath then leapt through the air with all the ferocity of one of the creatures of the night. With a thud he landed on the beasts back and fell to one knee while driving his sword downwards. Sharp and agonizing growls bellowed from the monsters strong lungs as it thrashed around and kicked up debris. _Indeed, it looks like the tables have turned _Mugen thought with a devilish grin. Abruptly his concrete confidence was shattered into a million pieces when he realized his sword wasn't impaled in the back of the creature's neck but its back. The monster roared again fearsomely and threw itself forwards. Mugen wasn't expecting it to put up so much of a fight and he went flying off its back and crashed against a dark tree trunk.

"I hate complaining about fighting, but this bout has me sweating blades," he said rubbing his side. It felt like all of the world's weight and its burdens were on his hide when he tried to stand up. The pain was coming from the right side of his ribcage; it felt like they could have been broken or wrecked really bad. His leg injury was also starting to take effect, he had lost a lot more blood than he had planned. _**Raaaahh! **_He hadn't won the battle yet. Gazing over at the creature he was brutally reminded that his fight needed to be ended soon. The beast was also losing a lot of blood but it wasn't going to give up on taking down Mugen as it crawled towards him bellowing deeply. "You certainly are in the top ten most stubborn bastards I've ever faced," Mugen admitted trying to stay positive. The creature was now a few inches from Mugen, and he didn't have his long sword ready; though the ex-buccaneer had another plan for taking this thing down. As its huge jaws parted Mugen shoved his scabbard in the monsters mouth. This kept it from biting his head off, but it would only hold for a few seconds. That was more than enough time for Mugen as he grabbed a thick and grimy rock off the ground and smashed the beast right in the center of its skull. With a gurgling growl it slowly crawled backwards. A few more gruff hisses escaped from the dying beast's jaws as it made the murky forest floor its death bed. "That's how it's done ladies and gentlemen," Mugen grinned resting his head on a firm log padded with moss. Even though he had been victorious he had sustained great damage. His leg that had been slashed by its claws had started to feel numb as, he tightened the muscle in his calf so he would keep what blood was left in that part of his leg from dripping into the ground. _**Snap! **_

"What the hell was that?!" he said under his breath. Looking over at the dead salamander creature his eyes found no trace of movement. Something else was out here with him. In his right hand he clutched the dagger he drew from the tip of his scabbard. He heard the snapping sound rip through the ground again, now he knew that these were human footsteps. Lying on his back he would surely be killed if this stranger was any kind of threat, rolling over on one knee he prepared himself for whatever was going to fly his way. _Whatever you may be, just jump on out, I want to make this quick._

The end; for now at least!

That battle Mugen was locked in looked pretty grim didn't it? One thing I didn't really like in the series was how almost all of his opponents with a few exceptions he brushes aside and defeats them with ease; I found that to get a little boring.

_**What do ya think will happen next? Fuu is kidnapped by some mystic and unknown characters, and Mugen has sustained some very nasty injuries! Hope you loved it almost as much as I did. **_


	12. Monster In The Mountains Part II

**Monster In The Mountains PART II **

_**Pit! Pit! Pitta! **_The sounds of water droplets beating down on Fuu's forehead echoed through the motionless and dim chamber she was being held in. Achingly her eyes gradually opened, as if they hadn't been moved in a century. At first things appeared blurry and distorted but very gradually things started to come into focus. She was starring at a ceiling of stalactites protruding downwards like the teeth of a carnivorous lizard.

_Damn, This can't be a dream _she thought bitterly rolling over on her side. It was real as real could get. Placing a hand on the floor she felt the cool and rough surface of stone. Gazing across the floor of her cell she saw a small snail come crawling towards her. With a small shriek she crawled away from it and tucked herself into a little ball in the corner of the room.

"Where the hell am I?" she wanted answers immediately, her heart beckoned to know where she was. Looking across the room she saw the bamboo bars that caged her in from the free moving world. They were a pair of double closing doors that were held together by an intricate locking device. Thumbing through one of the hidden sleeves on the inside of her kimono she felt the sweet sensation of hope burst through her being. She had her hair pen that unfolded into a lock pick. "I bet I can bust that thing," she said under her breath. Even though she knew she was the only one in the cell it was still a good idea to always be a little extra cautious at the moment. Slowly she crept over to the double bamboo doors and started to work on the lock. The lock was composed of four chains that were suspended between a small silver piece of metal. The four chains were also fastened by a hook that held the four small chains in place by way of tiny metallic calipers. On the outside of the metallic object there was a small slot shaped like a triangle, Fuu assumed that that was where the key would unlock the chains. Peeking between the bamboo stalks she didn't see anyone, in fact she didn't see much in the way of anything outside the cell. There was nothing but a dark hallway that was dimly lit by a torch that was hanging on the far side of the hallway. There were a couple of other cells with bamboo doors, but she couldn't tell if anyone was inside them.

_Let's get down to business _she thought courageously and slid the lock pick between the double doors and started to work on picking the lock. A large variety of clicking noises resonated from the lock; the mechanism to opening it was much more complex than it seemed at first. _Come on come on! I don't have all day! _Her emotions of fear and uncertainty seemed to grow with every passing second.

"Don't waste your time," a calm voice lurked out from the shadows and bounced off the damp stone walls of the subterranean dungeon. Fuu looked up from the lock almost instantaneously and saw nothing but the dark cells.

"Who's there?" Fuu questioned. "If you're a guardian of this horrific place come out and take me!" she demanded standing up from where she had been picking the lock. It wasn't overly conspicuous but both her legs were shaking and her heart was racing like a comet headed for a planets atmosphere. Even though she sounded aggressive and full of self assurance she was frightened beyond belief.

"I'm nobody but a lonely prisoner like you," the voice spoke again. The voice was certainly male, and it was very raspy and riddled with pain, yet still very lucid. "Though now I have someone at finally I can speak to, for the time being." Fuu didn't know if this voice belonged to a sentinel keeping watch trying to trick her, or maybe he was someone else who had been banished to this dark place. To keep things on the safer side she didn't remove the lock pick from the key hole but she halted from trying to pick it.

"Well can you at least tell me who these people are, or do you not know too?"

"You don't really want to know?" the stranger spoke again. "I'm not even sure if I can refer to them as humans anymore." Fuu suddenly felt her heart jump; she could already sense that the stranger's story was only going to get worse. "I believe they are members of this cult, a very strange faith that began here in the mountain range. They are a collection of people that have lived like this predating the Anui people. Vulgar displays of power as well as the thirst for blood shed have been two of their most prominent notorieties. However, there is something else that makes them seem even more primal."

"What?" Fuu asked, her heart was starting to race again profoundly.

"Every so many year's people, mostly young girls would disappear from villages only to be brought to this dark domain." Fuu really didn't like where this was headed. "They would be brought for the first feeding of Chong Xair."

"Who or what is that?" Fuu snapped.

"He is a massive, a true freak of nature actually, a gigantic aquatic creature that resides in a cave at the bottom of a dark murky body of water. When he awakens from hibernation he feasts before heading out to the forests." Fuu felt full of fear again, what was happening, this all seemed like a nightmare, not a reality.

"How do you know all this?" Fuu asked.

"Some years ago I was the one person from Edo period who made contact with these people. Initially I wanted to bring them the studies of Shinto and other ideas from the developing cities along the coast. However, they soon feared me and banished me to this grim place. For years I don't know how long its been now but I have dwelled in this obscurity of the shadows and watched those come and go." Oddly enough, Fuu's lips curled into a smile.

"Then this is your day of luck then," Suddenly from behind the bamboo bars of one of the cells she heard rustling noises, possibly he was scrambling to his feet. "I have a companion who will help me out of this, and if you want to run free with us your welcome too." For a few seconds all heard were the sounds of the water droplets beating down on the stone floor as it echoed through the calm air.

"Well I hope your right. That's all I can say because I feel like I have lost most of mine."

_**Clack! Clack! Clack**_! Fuu heard foot steps ring out through the halls. Someone was coming towards them, who was it, Fuu jumped behind a small bolder and peeked around it and watched as her sell door opened with a creek. There were two cloaked figures but the person they held was someone she vaguely recognized. It was a female and looked to be roughly around her age maybe a year or two older, they threw her to the floor and left without saying a word or making a sound. Fuu crept out from behind the rock and over to her new cell mate.

"You ok?" she whispered in a comforting voice. The girl was wearing a yellow kimono with a pink ribbon and purple trim, Fuu rolled her over on her side and felt her heart squeeze like a snake clutching its prey. _Yuri!___It had been some years since there last adventure and now it looks like they were about to find there way out of yet another fiasco.

Well how did ya like this chapter, the next one is going to be in Mugen's perspective, and we may encounter someone else from their past! 

Later! 


	13. Monster In The Mountains Part III

_**Monster in the Mountains Part III **_

_**Fuu has been captured by a mysterious new adversary. Mugen on the other hand recovers in a the home of a hermit that was once possibly a friend of one of his old companions/competitors. **_

When Mugen awoke his eyes were met with total darkness. Placing his hand on his forehead he felt the softness of a fabric cloth crinkle and curl between his finger tips. It felt soft and soothing on his rocky rough hands, but every passing second his mind grew sharper and as always confrontational.

_Fuu this better not be one of your hair brain pranks, not in the mood today, or this morning, or what the hell I don't care anyways! _He thought sadistically removing the towel off of his eyes. However, he initially expected to have come face to face with the exquisite morning sky but instead his eyes met with the bamboo ceiling of a small room. _And I thought this morning was already of to a rough and weird ass start, how the hell did I get tossed in this joint. _Reaching behind his head he felt the pliable surface of a Western influenced mattress. Gazing over to his left he quickly gathered all the items and different objects that embellished his surroundings.

It looked like an old man's trinket shop had thrown up all over the place. There were dozens of paintings that looked like they were from the early Edo period and small Buddha statues that looked older than Mugen himself. There were also bowls filled with what appeared to be some kind of medicinal herbs of some sort. Mugen swung both feet over the mattress and planted them on the floor, but for this simple movement came a high price in the form of physical agony.

"Dammitt!" he grunted under his breath. His wounded calf muscle reminded him of his own bitter mortality and his back ached painfully. That fight with that reptilian creature had taxed his body heavily. Looking around the room for his red shirt and other belongings he started to seriously question his current situation. He had no recollection of retreating to a small shack after he killed that beast. "Things just ain't addin up, but hey, what else is new." Suddenly he heard the haunting resonance of slow but steady footsteps come creeping beyond the small sliding door that stood directly across from where he sat upright on his mattress. _Game time _on that note he dropped to the floor on one knee and crept towards the sliding door as quietly as one could. Cautiously he slid behind a small desk in the room and waited to meet whoever was on the other side of the door.

"Come on, Come on," he whispered under his breath. Seconds ago he felt like a war torn man who had seen his rough days, but now he had more vigilance and courage than all the great remaining samurai in Japan. The door slid open with a little creek, and then a pair of sandaled feet found there way into the room. Mugen could often feel the rush of adrenaline and his heart race with vigor, but for some reason both of those components were missing from his being. From behind the desk he heard the man yawn and then scratched his waist. _Could my instincts be right, or for once in my life are they taken a day off _he thought, maybe this man wasn't a threat. _Better be safe then sorry _with that final thought he snatched a vase off the floor and jumped up behind the desk to full height and laid his burning eyes on the intruder.

"Oh, that's where ya were hidin, its kinda chilly on the floor don't ya think." The intruder was none other than a humble old man with a warm smile. His teeth looked like they could have had better days. He wore a colorful coat and a white head band with a red dot in the center of it.

"I might sound like an idiot askin this but who are you? And what's up with this place?"

"This is one of my little dwellings that I spend time in around mid summer and the beginning of the foliage. My name is-" suddenly he paused in mid sentence and his tepid and innocent small eyes sharpened like daggers. "Mishoto the swords masta!"

"Rrrright," Mugen answered raising an eyebrow.

"Naaah that's just a nickname of mine when I was a young fella like yourself, names Eli, some people also call me Johnny. Don't know where these names came from, can't rememba"

_That adds one more to the freak list, how the hell does that thing keep growin on me _Mugen thought placing the vase on the ground. Well at least the strange little man was friendly and very hospitable; Mugen could clearly remember worse scenarios and people he had encountered. Mugen pulled up what appeared to be small wooden foot rest and took a seat on it.

"Where'd ya find me out there?"

"At night is usually when I go huntin for ma night crawlers."

"What the hell are those?"

"Worms boy, and then I heard your situation."

"Oh yeah, that little nuisance," Mugen remarked with a humorous tone scratching his head grinning.

"Sure it was just a little one?"

"Got any idea what that thing was?" The old man pulled up a small stool and sat down across from Mugen.

"Kinda, it was about three years ago I think. I was travelin here in this countryside and everybody knows about the legends of the infamous water dragon that lived out here in these rivers but I never paid tall tales any real mind. But one night though, I was sittin beside my fire and I heard something movin around me. At first I thought it was maybe a deer or a big old bear, after living in the woods your whole life these creatures become close to you like friends and family. It wasn't either of them and it was one of them beasts and it lashed out at me. I had my fireworks on me and I gave that beast a display it didn't even wanna stick around for."

"Nice," Mugen said straightening his back. "Well thanks for all the help old fella but I gotta get a move on." The old man grinned and nodded Mugen for once in a very long time bowed before him and then walked around him and into the hallway. He got only four or five feet and one of his limbs gave him a bit of trouble again. "Ouch, that bitch has got a bite," he grunted under his breath painfully.

"Your tough I'll give ya that much, but I don't think being invincible is one of your talents," the old man said standing in the doorway with his arms folded.

"Tell me about it," Mugen snapped back sarcastically.

"Well if ya don't feel pain what about hunger?" Mugen caught that question clearer than day.

"Hell yeah," he said turning around to face the old man with a convincing smile.

Together they walked down the small hallway to another room. They both sat on the floor at a little table and Mugen at an assortment of vegetables and some noodles and grilled fish and chicken. Mugen loved to eat almost as much as he did fighting and going on adventures, with fatigue and drowsiness thrown together his food tasted that much more genuine and revitalizing.

"That hit the spot hard," Mugen commented nibbling on his finger tips.

"See, look how great life can be if ya learn to just take your time," the old man remarked sipping some green tea.

"Can't say I've been really good at doin that, feels like I've been bouncing around my whole life."

"Sounds like quite an adventure, where ya off to anyways?"

"Well another thing I've also been pretty bad at for most of my days is keeping chicks waitin, and I think this one has been doin that for long enough."

"Oh, a lady friend, she live around here?"

"Na, she's been travelin with me, and I'm sure she's worryin and wondering where the hell I am, but its all good she's used to that story by now," Mugen explained gulping down some hot tea like it was water. The old man leaned forward and looked at Mugen a little closer.

"Were ya both travelin alone?" He asked.

"Ya, just us, what makes you ask that?" A few seconds ago he seemed happy and entertained with Mugen's company and at ease with the world; Mugen could sense something was starting to burn within his soul. In a matter of seconds it seemed like the little elderly man's posture and facial expression shifted from a jolly hermit to a fearless warrior.

"Think you can get around all right?" The old man asked vigilantly.

"Sure, I can move it," Mugen answered also become more serious and slightly getting suspicious.

"Then follow me I'll explain it to ya on the way." With that said the old man stood up and actually walked out of the room like a soldier headed off to fight a war. Mugen just simply smirked and stood up from where he sat.

"Looks like this old coot still wants to party. Things are getting interesting again." Quickly Mugen followed behind him.

_**That wasn't the biggest chapter I know and I wanted this to be a big chap :( **_

_**Any who the next one or couple will be large and really exciting, this chapter got broken down because there is so much stuff that is about to happen. See ya then. **_


End file.
